A Delhi court has taken cognisance of charges against 17 accused persons in the Tarun murder case arising from a violent clash that occurred during Holi celebrations in Uttam Nagar, southwest Delhi. The court, however, declined to proceed against one individual after finding that he had been wrongly arrested due to mistaken identity.
The incident dates back to March 4, 2026, when 26-year-old Tarun lost his life following a clash between two neighbouring families belonging to different communities. According to the investigation, the altercation allegedly began after a water balloon thrown by a young girl accidentally struck a woman from another community. What initially appeared to be a minor dispute soon escalated into a violent confrontation, resulting in Tarun sustaining fatal injuries.
Additional Sessions Judge Shivali Bansal, while examining the charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police, refused to take cognisance against Imran alias Bunty. The court noted that the investigation itself established that he was not involved in the crime and had been arrested because of mistaken identity. Police later determined that the actual accused was another individual bearing the same first name. CCTV footage and other evidence reportedly failed to reveal any incriminating material against the wrongly arrested man.
Expressing concern over the matter, the court observed that despite learning that the arrested individual was not involved in the offence, the investigating officer failed to take prompt steps to secure his release. The judge directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Joint Commissioner of Police for appropriate information and action.
The court subsequently ordered the immediate release of the wrongly arrested accused and proceeded to take cognisance of the charge sheet against the remaining 17 accused persons. The charges include offences under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Delhi Police had earlier filed an extensive charge sheet running approximately 500 pages, naming 17 accused individuals in connection with the case. Investigators recorded statements from numerous witnesses during the course of the probe. Police have stated that there was no prior enmity between the parties involved before the Holi-day dispute escalated into violence.
The case will continue before the designated SC/ST Court at Dwarka District Court. In light of security concerns and the possibility of attacks during physical production of the accused, the court has directed that future hearings be conducted through video conferencing.
The matter has now been listed for further proceedings, with the court set to continue hearing the case against the accused. (Asianet News)
