Delhi Court Acquits 3 in 2009 Acid Attack, Slams Police for Shoddy Probe

• A Delhi court acquitted Yashwinder, Bala, and Mandeep in a 2009 acid attack case on Shaheen Malik, citing lack of evidence from the prosecution.
• The court severely reprimanded the police for a "nonchalant and unprofessional" investigation, suggesting it was designed to shield culprits.
• Serious lapses included failure to preserve crucial evidence, verify acid purchase, conduct identification parades, or collect electronic evidence.
• Panipat SP was ordered to conduct an inquiry into police lapses, fix responsibility, and take action within 30 days.
• The victim, Shaheen Malik, suffered severe injuries and 18 surgeries; the Supreme Court previously called the case delay a "national shame."

Why It Matters: Court acquits 3 in 2009 acid attack, highlighting severe police negligence and justice delayed.