Title: 26 Accused Cleared in Gujarat Riot Case Due to Lack of Evidence
A court in Gujarat has acquitted 26 accused in a case related to the killing of a dozen people from minority groups during the riots that followed the fire on the Sabarmati Express in Godhra on March 1, 2002. The accused also faced charges of gang rape and rioting.
Halol Additional Sessions Judge Leelabhai Chutasama of Panchmahal district acquitted the accused due to lack of evidence. A total of 39 accused were registered in the case, and 13 of them died during the trial. The prosecution had produced 334 documents and examined 109 witnesses, but the judge pointed out that the testimony was contradictory and many statements were once morest the prosecution’s case.
The case also involved the death of a man who was seriously injured in a riot in Kalol in Gandhi Nagar. He was set on fire in a police vehicle while on his way to the hospital. The same group had also set fire to another person who had come out of a place of worship. According to the prosecution, the group had burned to death 11 people who had come from Delol village to Kalol and gang-raped a young woman who tried to escape. However, the accused were acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.
# b. Balagopal/Mathrubhumi News
New Delhi: The court has acquitted 26 accused in the case registered for killing regarding a dozen people belonging to minority groups as part of the Gujarat riots. Charges of gang rape and rioting were also filed once morest the accused. The accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence. Halol Additional Sessions Judge Leelabhai Chutasama of Panchmahal district acquitted the accused.
The court acquitted the accused in the case related to the violence that took place as part of the bandh called following the fire on the Sabarmati Express in Godhra on March 1, 2002. A case was registered once morest the accused at Kalol police station. There were 39 accused in the case. Thirteen of them died during the trial.
The court acquitted the accused in the case of killing a man who was seriously injured in a riot in Kalol in Gandhi Nagar district and was set on fire in a police vehicle while he was being taken to the hospital. The prosecution also pointed out that the same group set fire to another person who came out of the place of worship. The prosecution had argued in the case that eleven people who had come to Kalol from Delol village were burnt to death by this group and a young woman who tried to escape was gang-raped by the assailants.
The prosecution had examined 109 witnesses. 334 documents were produced. However, the Additional Sessions Judge in the judgment pointed out that the witness statements were contradictory. The judge also pointed out that many of the statements were once morest the prosecution case.
With the acquittal of 26 accused in the Gujarat riots case, justice remains painfully elusive for the families of the victims. The court’s decision to acquit the accused due to lack of evidence highlights the difficulties faced by the prosecution in securing convictions for such heinous crimes. However, it raises concerns regarding the effectiveness of the legal system in ensuring justice for victims and holding those responsible accountable for their actions. As we grapple with the followingmath of this case, it is important to reflect on the need for a strong and transparent justice system that upholds the rights of all citizens, regardless of their background.