The Delhi High Court on Friday pulled up the Delhi police?for filing chargesheets in a “predetermined, mechanical and erroneous manner,” while?hearing a case related to the riots in Delhi in February 2020. The court discharged three men facing rioting, criminal conspiracy and other charges while noting that?it is suspicious that the investigating officer of the Delhi Police “manipulated evidence”.

Additional Sessions Judge?Pulastya Pramachala referred the matter back?to the police department for assessment of the investigation carried out in this case and subsequent action as per law.?

“…instead of having a grave suspicion against the accused persons for their involvement in the alleged incidents as reported by four complainants as well as for their involvement in the incidents as observed by ASI Surender Pal in the rukka, I am having suspicion for the investigating officer having manipulated the evidence in the case, without actually investigating the reported incidents properly,” the court said, according to a report by LiveLaw.

The three individuals – Akil Ahmad alias Papad, Rahish Khan, and Irshad – were accused of rioting, being part of an unlawful assembly, and committing vandalism during the riots.

Observing that contradictory statements were given by the complainants in the case, the court pointed out that the investigating officers (IO) had ignored the fact that there were mobs sloganeering both in favour of and against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The court noted that, "If a person ceases to be member of an unlawful assembly, then he cannot be made responsible for any act done by that mob in absence of such person.”?