Former BJP Minister Maya Kodnani
Gujarat, India: On April 20, a special court in Ahmedabad acquitted all 68 accused, including former BJP Minister Maya Kodnani, former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Jaydeep Patel and former Bajrang Dal member Babu Bajrangi, in the 2002 Naroda Gam massacre case wherein 11 Muslims were killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
It is pertinent to note that in 2018, the Gujarat High Court acquitted Maya Kodnani in the 2002 Naroda Patiya case as the charges could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
Maya Kodnani’s counsel Amit Patel said, “The special court designated to hear the riots cases has acquitted all the accused. The court’s reasoning is yet to be known as the judgment copy is not made available but yes it can be said that our contentions of my client and all other accused were falsely implicated, has been accepted by the special court,” confirming the acquittal of all 68 accused in the case.
The Naroda Gam case is one of the riot cases reported in the aftermath of the Godhra Train Burning incident in February 2002. 11 Muslims were burnt after their houses were set on fire in Ahmedabad’s Naroda Gam area. The prosecution alleged that Maya Kodnani, Jaydeep Patel and Babu Bajrangi instigated the rioters to kill the Muslims in the area.
A senior BJP leader said, “I don’t think she will fight elections now, but even if she decides to do so, I’d say, ‘Why not?’. She has faced trial in both the cases and has been acquitted by the courts. She enjoys immense respect and popularity among party workers,” after Maya Kodnani was acquitted in the second case concerning Gujarat Riots.
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