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Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
'Convict spread hate': Court sentences man to 3-year jail in 2020 Delhi riots case
A Delhi court has sentenced a man to three years imprisonment on charges of promoting enmity and public mischief during the February 2020 riots. Lokesh Solanki was sentenced to three years of concurrent simple imprisonment Additional sessions judge Parveen Singh observed the convict did not deserve leniency as during the tense period, he "added fuel to the already simmering tensions" by spreading hate messages towards the Muslim community, and inducing people to commit crime against them. The July 8 order said, "The fact, that during the tense period of February 2020, the convict had added fuel to the already simmering tensions by spreading messages which were intended to promote enmity and hatred for Muslim community and induced the members of the group to commit crime against Muslims, calls for no leniency and makes the offence very serious in nature." The man, however, would be released as he had already undergone imprisonment of more than three years -- the maximum punishment for the offences. The court was hearing the arguments on sentencing against Lokesh Kumar Solanki, convicted under IPC Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) on June 5. Solanki was sentenced to three years of concurrent simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹25,000 for each offence. "However, the fact remains that the convict has already undergone the imprisonment of more than three years, which is the maximum punishment which could be awarded for offences punishable under Sections 153-A and 505 of the IPC," the court held. Solanki, the court said, was already incarcerated for over three years and had to be released subject to payment of the fine.
The Wire
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
2020 Delhi Riots: Court Says WhatsApp Chats Cannot be Substantive Evidence in Murder Cases
Representative image of gavel and hammer. Photo: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels. Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute Now New Delhi: A Delhi court has ruled that WhatsApp chats cannot be 'substantive evidence' and said that at best, such chats can be used as 'a corroborative piece of evidence'. The court made the ruling in relation to five murder cases lodged during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. In all five cases, 12 accused were common and the prosecution had relied heavily on WhatsApp chats as evidence, reported Indian Express. The five cases are among nine cases which were filed for the murder of nine men, whose bodies were recovered a week after the riots. Till now, of the remaining four cases, one has ended in acquittal while trial is ongoing in the rest three. The Delhi Police had primarily relied on the chats of a WhatsApp group named 'Kattar Hindu Ekta' in all five cases. Multiple chargesheets also named this group. According to the chargesheet, one of the accused, Lokesh Solanki, allegedly wrote on the WhatsApp group: 'Your brother has killed 2 Muslim men at 9 o'clock.' Solanki's questioning had led to the arrest of other persons, who were eventually accused of the nine murders. 'Such posts may be put in the group solely with the intention of becoming a hero in the estimation of other members of the group. It could be a boast, without truth. Therefore, the relied upon chats cannot be substantive evidence to show that the accused… had actually killed two Muslim persons. These chats at the most could be used as a corroborative piece of evidence,' said additional sessions judge Pulastya Pramachala of Karkardooma Court while acquitting the accused. Earlier, the court had said in another judgement on April 30 that in connection with a case pertaining to the murder of one Hashim Ali, there were no eyewitnesses to the murder, and subsequently acquitted 12 accused. 'They (WhatsApp chats) cannot form the sole basis for conviction due to their inherent weaknesses and they must be supported by independent, reliable evidence,' the court had said. It added that except for one witness, no one else claimed to have seen the incident.
Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Indian Express
WhatsApp chats can't be substantive evidence: Court in 5 murder cases linked to 2020 Delhi riots
WhatsApp chats cannot be 'substantive evidence', a Delhi court has ruled in five murder cases lodged during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. It ruled that these chats can at best be used as 'a corroborative piece of evidence'. In all five cases, where the 12 accused are common, the prosecution had relied heavily on WhatsApp chats as evidence. These are among nine cases filed in connection with the murder of nine men, whose bodies were recovered a week after the riots. Of the remaining four cases, one has ended in acquittal, and three are at the stage of final arguments and statements of the accused. A total of 53 people died and over 500 were injured in the riots. In all five cases, the Delhi Police primarily relied on the chats of a WhatsApp group named 'Kattar Hindu Ekta'; multiple chargesheets filed by the police also named this group. According to the chargesheet, one of the accused, Lokesh Solanki, allegedly wrote on the WhatsApp group: 'Your brother has killed 2 Muslim men at 9 o'clock.' Solanki's questioning had led to the arrest of other persons, who were eventually accused of the nine murders. Acquitting the accused, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Pulastya Pramachala of Karkardooma Court noted in all five orders: 'Such posts may be put in the group solely with the intention of becoming a hero in the estimation of other members of the group. It could be a boast, without truth. Therefore, the relied upon chats cannot be substantive evidence to show that the accused… had actually killed two Muslim persons. These chats at the most could be used as a corroborative piece of evidence.' The police relied on the same chats in all nine murder cases. While acquitting the accused, the court also pointed to the lack of reliable witnesses. In a case filed in connection with the murder of Hashim Ali, the court in its April 30 judgment said there were no eyewitnesses and acquitted the 12 accused. 'They (WhatsApp chats) cannot form the sole basis for conviction due to their inherent weaknesses and they must be supported by independent, reliable evidence,' the court noted, adding that, except for one witness, no one else claimed to have seen the incident. In another judgment, pronounced on March 28, the court noted that it was 'sure about the murder of Amin, but not sure about the incident of his murder.' In this case, too, all but one witness had turned hostile. In another judgment pronounced on March 28 regarding the murder of Bhure Ali, the court noted that 'none of the witnesses vouched to have seen the incident of assault and murder on Bhure'. In another judgment dated March 27, the court noted that it was not 'sure about the incident wherein Hamza (a riot victim) was killed.' It added: '… and when there is no clarity from the evidence as to which mob had killed Hamza, then it is only a formality to say that there is no evidence on the record to show that any of the accused was a member of the culprit mob.' All witnesses in the case had turned hostile. In a judgement passed on May 13, the court of ASJ Pramachala acquitted all accused persons of murder, but convicted Solanki on charges of making statements conducing public mischief and promoting enmity. 'It is also well apparent that the intent of the messages posted by accused Lokesh was to instigate the others against Muslim persons. This act was in fact like spreading hatred for Muslim persons and to instigate others to resort to violence against them,' the court said. According to the court orders, 109 judgments have been passed in the 700 FIRs related to the rioting, arson and murder cases lodged by the Northeast Delhi police from February 2020 to February 2025. While 90 have resulted in acquittals (82%), 19 have ended in convictions (18%). In 51 of the 90 (57%) acquittals, witnesses have turned hostile.
