A court has acquitted the accused, Mohammed Faizan, in the case of arson at Arun Modern Public School in the Brijpuri area during the riots that broke out in North-East Delhi in 2020. In its verdict, the court stated that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Significant Delay In FIR Registration
The court of Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Kumar Singh, citing the facts on record, said that the arson incident was reported to have occurred on February 25, 2020, whereas the FIR in this regard was registered on March 5, 2020. The prosecution could not present any concrete and credible reason for the delay of approximately ten days in registering the FIR. According to the court, such a delay naturally raises doubts about the authenticity of the case.
History Of The Accused And Arrests
In the case, the police had accused a total of three people: Shamim Ahmed, Mohammed Kafil, and Mohammed Faizan. During the trial, Shamim Ahmed and Mohammed Kafil had already been acquitted due to a lack of evidence. The third accused, Mohammed Faizan, remained at large for a long time and was arrested in August 2025.
Contradictions In Prosecution Witness Testimony
The court also noted that the prosecution's entire case was based on the testimony of one police officer, but serious contradictions were found in their statements given in different cases. In one instance, the officer claimed to have identified the accused at the scene, while in another, they claimed to have received prior information. The court stated that in such a situation, the identification of the accused comes under suspicion.
Final Verdict And Legal Principles
The court clarified that it is a fundamental principle of law that the benefit of the doubt in criminal cases must be given to the accused. On these grounds, the court acquitted the accused, Mohammed Faizan, of all charges.