2005 Satyam-Liberty cinema blast case: Delhi Court acquits person, says prosecution miserably failed

The Patiala House Court of Delhi has acquitted Trilochan Singh, accused of being a member of the alleged terror organisation Babbar Khalsa International in a case related to the 2005 Satyam Cinema and Liberty Cinema bomb blasts stating that the prosecution has failed miserably to prove its case and hence the accused deserves the benefit of the doubt.

The Court while passing the judgement in the case said accused Trilochan Singh is acquitted of the charges framed against him for the commission of an offence punishable under section 18 (Punishment for conspiracy), 20 (Punishment for being a member of terrorist gang or organisation) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and under section 25 of Arms Act.

The Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana in a judgement passed on March 24, 2022, said, "it is settled proposition of law that in a criminal trial, the prosecution is required to prove its case beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt and in the case at hand, the prosecution has miserably failed to prove its case and accused deserves the benefit of the doubt."

ASJ Dharmender Rana further said, "I am of the considered opinion that shadow of doubt appears upon the prosecution version and the evidence available on record is not of a sterling quality to hold accused Trilochan Singh liable for the commission of an offence."

Failure on the part of IO to make sincere efforts for joining independent public witnesses in the proceedings, when they are available, creates reasonable doubt in the prosecution in view of the following case laws, the court noted.

Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Singh in 2007, from his home in Panchkula Haryana, as a part of its investigation into the case with the allegation that the accused was trying to revive militancy in Punjab.

Police had claimed that Trilochan was in touch with Babbar Khalsa International outfit member Baljeet Singh, who planned to kill a Sikh religious leader, Baba Pyara Singh Panihari Wala, and some others and to revive militancy in Punjab.

According to the prosecution, out of the total nine accused, eight had pleaded guilty.

Trilochan decided to contest his case filed under sections 121A (conspiracy to commit offences or to overawe, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, the Central Government or any State Government), 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), as well as sections of the UAPA Act and the Arms Act, the police said.

( With inputs from ANI )