5 walk free in Jat quota violence case due to lack of evidence

A court here on Thursday acquitted five persons in a case pertaining to violence in the 2016 Jat quota agitation.

Those acquitted are Rohtak residents Rahul Dadu , Jogender alias Joga, Narender Balhara, Dilavar, and Jagpal of Sonepat. While pronouncing the order, additional sessions judge Ritu YK Behl said: “The prosecution has failed to establish that all five accused were involved in violence following which they have been acquitted.”

This is the second acquittal of quota violence accused by a Rohtak court. On July, 21, 19 accused were acquitted due to lack of evidences.

The case date backs to February 20, 2016. The Rohtak police had registered a case against five accused under sections 148( rioting ,armed with deadly weapon), 149( every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186( obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188( disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant),342( punishment for wrongful confinement), 332( voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant),353( assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) ,307( attempt to murder), 427 and 436 of the Indian Penal code.

Sector 14 police checkpost then in-charge , assistant sub-inspector Rakesh Kumar, was the complainant in the case. According to the FIR, “On February 19, 2016, a mob led by Narender Balhara carrying lathis, petrol bomb and weapons while heading towards Agro mall at Sector 14 in Rohtak attacked a police team posted outside the building and burnt their vehicles.” “They tied the policemen and thrashed them. The accused and his accomplices also caused damage to property,” the ASI had stated.