2002 Gujarat riots: Court acquits all 68 accused in Naroda Gam massacre case

Ahmedabad: A special court on Thursday acquitted all 68 accused in the Naroda Gam massacre case in which eleven persons belonging to the Muslim community were killed. Former Gujarat minister and BJP leader Maya Kodnani and Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi were among the 86 accused who were on trial in the case. Of 86 accused, 18 died in the intervening period. 

The court of S K Baxi, special judge for Special Investigation Agency (SIT) cases, pronounced the verdict against 68 accused. Eleven persons were killed in communal violence in the Naroda Gam area of Ahmedabad city on February 28, 2002, during a bandh called to protest the Godhra train burning a day before in which 58 passengers, mostly Karsevaks returning from Ayodhya, were killed.

The prosecution and defence examined 187 and 57 witnesses, respectively, during the trial that started in 2010 and went on for nearly 13 years with six judges successively presiding over the case, said special prosecutor Suresh Shah. In September 2017, senior BJP leader (now Union Home Minister) Amit Shah appeared as a defence witness for Maya Kodnani. Kodnani had requested the court to summon him to prove her alibi that she was present in the Gujarat Assembly and later at the Sola Civil Hospital and not at Naroda Gam where the massacre took place.

Among the evidence produced by the prosecution was the video of a sting operation carried out by journalist Ashish Khetan as well as call details of Kodnani, Bajrangi and others during the relevant period. When the trial started, SH Vora was the presiding judge. He was elevated to the Gujarat High Court. His successors, Jyotsna Yagnik, KK Bhatt and PB Desai, retired during the trial. Special judge MK Dave who came next was transferred, prosecutor Shah said.

"The trial (deposition of witnesses) concluded around four years ago. Arguments of the prosecution concluded and the defence was making its arguments when then special judge P B Desai retired. So arguments started afresh before judge Dave and later judge Baxi which delayed the proceedings," he said.

The accused were facing charges under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), and 153 (provocation for riots), among others.

(With inputs from PTI)