Gujarat court acquits 22 accused in post-Godhra riots case for lack of evidence
Godhra, January 25: In the absence of evidence in a case related to 2000 post-Godhra communal riots, a court at Halol town in Panchmahal district of Gujarat has acquitted 22 persons. They were accused of killing 17 members of a minority community, which included two children. Eight of the 22 accused had died during the trial.
As per the prosecution, the 17 members of a minority community were killed on February 28, 2002. Their bodies were set afire with an aim to destroy the evidence.
On Tuesday, the court of Additional Sessions Judge Harsh Trivedi acquitted all 22 accused, including eight dead, said defence lawyer Gopalsinh Solanki.
Notably, communal riots, which led to widespread destruction, had broken out after a bogie of Sabarmati Express was torched by a mob near Godhra town in Panchmahal district on February 27, 2002. This left 59 passengers killed. Most of the victims were 'karsevaks' who were returning from Ayodhya.
An FIR was registered after murder and rioting in Delol village. A police inspector lodged a case nearly two years after the incident and nabbed 22 persons for their "involvement" in the riots.
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However, the prosecution could not gather enough evidence against the accused. Moreover, witnesses turned hostile, as reported by defence lawyer Solanki. The bodies of the victims were also not found.
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He said though bones were recovered from an isolated place on the banks of a river, they were charred and identity of the victims could not be ascertained.
- With inputs from agencies
