Gujarat High Court Acquits Three in 2002 Post-Godhra Riots Case

The Gujarat High Court has acquitted three men, Sachin Patel, Ashok Patel, and Ashok Gupta, who were sentenced to five-year rigorous imprisonment for their alleged involvement in the 2002 post-Godhra riots. This decision comes nineteen years after their initial conviction by a fast-track court in Gujarat.

A bench comprising Justice Gita Gopi found that the earlier conviction was not based on reliable and corroborative evidence. The court highlighted that the trial court judge had erred significantly in evaluating the evidence presented. Furthermore, the identification of the accused was not conclusively proven during the trial proceedings.

This case stems from events that occurred a day after two coaches of the Sabarmati Express were set on fire at Godhra station on February 27, 2002, leading to widespread riots in Gujarat. The prosecution claimed that the acquitted men were part of a violent crowd involved in arson and unlawful assembly. However, the high court found no proof of their involvement in such acts, resulting in the overturning of their convictions.

(With inputs from agencies.)