AAP MLA acquitted by court for rioting at Delhi’s Tripoliya Gate

By LE Desk

New Delhi, April 10: A Delhi court on Friday acquitted AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi and 15 others in a 2013 case of rioting at Tripoliya Gate.

Tripathi and the others had been accused of allegedly instigating a mob of 300 people against police officials for not taking action against a murder accused.

CBI Judge Geetanjali Goel, however, convicted Tripathi for unlawful assembly and voluntarily obstructing any public servant in the discharge of duty, the Hindustan Times reported.

Another accused, Geeta (identified by first name only) was found guilty of 147 (rioting), 186 (obstructing public servants in carrying out their duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 333 (causing hurt to public servant) read with section 149.

In January 2019, a city court had framed charges against Tripathi and 16 others for rioting, obstructing the Delhi Police from discharging duty, using criminal force and causing voluntary hurt, after all the accused pleaded not guilty.

According to the charge sheet, the mob had brought the dead body and kept it in front of Tripoliya gate at GT Karnal road to block the traffic.

Around 50 workers of Aam Aadmi Party, who were wearing white caps, joined the crowd and started shouting slogans against Delhi Police, which allegedly led the mob to pelt the policemen with stones.

Advocate Prashant Manchanda, appearing for Tripathi and others who were acquitted, had vehemently argued that all the accused were falsely implicated by the active political players of the erstwhile government who also facilitated the actual culprits to get off the hook.

He had said that the entire incident was a ploy used by erstwhile ruling dispensation to nip rising the political opponent, Aam Aadmi Party.

On Friday, the court said that the prosecution has proved the guilt of Tripathi beyond reasonable doubt for the offence under Section 186 IPC read with Section 149 IPC and he is convicted for the same. It however, acquitted him of all the other charges.

The judge asked the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) to furnish the income details of the convicts to provide compensation to the victims.

The matter would be now heard on April 27.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/aapmlaacquitted-by-court-for-rioting-at-tripoliya-gate-101617993677341.html