Defence counsel reacts to Gulberg society verdict

Ahmedabad

A special court in Ahmedabad today acquitted 36 in year 2002 Gulberg society riot case.The court convicted 24, of whom 11 are convicted under section 302 which pertains to murder while 13 are convicted for minor charges.

Advocate Abhay Bhadwaj who leads group of lawyers fighting for accused told media persons soon after the verdict: As Mitesh Amin became government lawyer, his leftover case came to us. In this case 35 are given clear acquittal. Special Investigation Team(SIT), government and those who investigated the case will have to give answer. Only 1 of 36 has been given benefit of doubt. Basically 11 people have been charged and it excludes two major charges including120b which is pertaining to conspiracy. I haven’t read entire judgement but court has accepted our argument that there was a conspiracy to involve a conspiracy and that is why the conspiracy theory has been rejected by court. The Judge first said that there’s no conspiracy. Judge told government lawyer that you have to address me on individual count of individual accused and tell which individual did what. So the very bases of the prosecution has collapsed. 13 are charged with minor offenses upto section 436 that pertains to destroying house. There are two accused who are convicted under 435. One of them is in jail for 14 years period. Maximum punishment under this section is 7 years. One is charged only for section 186 and 188 that is maximum punishable by 3 years. Others are charged by 436 which is punishable by life or upto 10 years. So there’s no minimum imprisonment which is prescribed so far they are concerned. The battle is over, this is just a phase over. In criminal case, war goes on upto President’s decision. We will go to high court so far as 11 major convicts are concerned. And other certain people for whatever they are convicted. If they have upto 3 years sentence, they can get bail. We have tried out level best. We will try again best in higher forum. We have not charged a single penny from any accused.

– DeshGujarat