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35 accused in Gujarat riots acquitted, Judge slams 'pseudo secular' lobby
By: Tupaki Desk | 18 Jun 2023 12:04 AM IST
In a significant verdict, a court in Gujarat said that honourable and prominent persons were wrongly implicated in the incidents that occurred as part of the 'spontaneous and unplanned' riots in the state in the aftermath of the Godhra train burning incident in 2002. The court in Halol town in Gujarat's Panchmahal district exonerated 35 persons who were charged in connection with four separate incidents during 2002 riots.
The incidents occurred in Kalol town, Deolal village and Derol station areas on February 28,, 2002.
At least 17 of the accused had died during the trial that ran for over 20 years while 35 persons, who are alive, have been exonerated. Cases of assault, arson, rioting, stone pelting and murder were registered against the accused. The accused were all acquitted due to lack of evidence and due to contradictory statements of the witnesses.
While delivering the judgement on June 12, Halol additional sessions judge Harsh Balkrishna Trivedi said that the prosecution has failed to establish any recovery or seizure of weapons. The judge came down heavily against the "pseudo secular" lobby, which he said, has "rubbed salt into the woulds of the anguished people. He said that "There were spontaneous riots in Gujarat. They were not planned ones, as described by pseudo-secular persons. Due to the uproar of pseudo-secular media and organizations, the accused persons have unnecessarily faced prolonged trial."
"In the case on hand, the police have unnecessarily implicated the accused in the alleged commission of the crime. Police implicated prominent Hindu persons in the area, doctors, professors, teachers, businessmen, panchayat officials etc., who hail from the Hindu community," the judgement observed.
The incidents occurred in Kalol town, Deolal village and Derol station areas on February 28,, 2002.
At least 17 of the accused had died during the trial that ran for over 20 years while 35 persons, who are alive, have been exonerated. Cases of assault, arson, rioting, stone pelting and murder were registered against the accused. The accused were all acquitted due to lack of evidence and due to contradictory statements of the witnesses.
While delivering the judgement on June 12, Halol additional sessions judge Harsh Balkrishna Trivedi said that the prosecution has failed to establish any recovery or seizure of weapons. The judge came down heavily against the "pseudo secular" lobby, which he said, has "rubbed salt into the woulds of the anguished people. He said that "There were spontaneous riots in Gujarat. They were not planned ones, as described by pseudo-secular persons. Due to the uproar of pseudo-secular media and organizations, the accused persons have unnecessarily faced prolonged trial."
"In the case on hand, the police have unnecessarily implicated the accused in the alleged commission of the crime. Police implicated prominent Hindu persons in the area, doctors, professors, teachers, businessmen, panchayat officials etc., who hail from the Hindu community," the judgement observed.