Metropolitan Magistrate H Sidharth Mathur acquitted city resident Pradeep Lal of the Arms Act case, noting that during the 12-year-long trial, the police was able to produce only one witness - the constable who wrote the FIR in November 1999.

"There do exist doubts and unexplained holes in the prosecution story and as such accused is given benefit of doubt and is hereby acquitted," the court said.