The communal riots in northeast Delhi in February 2020 left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.

By Press Trust of India

New Delhi: A court here on Friday rejected the 10th bail plea of an accused in a case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, saying the relief cannot be granted only because one of the eyewitnesses did not support the prosecution’s case.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala was hearing the application of Shoaib Alam alias Bobby, who has been accused of being a part of a riotous mob that looted and torched articles in a godown near Chand Bagh Pulia in northeast Delhi on February 25, 2020.

According to the prosecution, the mob comprised around 50 associates of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain.

Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey appeared in the court for the Delhi Police.

The court considered the change in material circumstances after Alam’s last bail plea was dismissed on merits by the high court in March last year.

It said one of the eyewitnesses, Shamshad Pradhan, did not support the prosecution’s case, while two other police witnesses supported it.

The court said another eyewitness, Pradeep Verma, is yet to be examined.

This story was originally published in siasat.com. Read the full story here.