Govt files appeals against Varun acquittal

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday filed appeals against two court judgments by which BJP MP Varun Gandhi was acquitted of the charges of making hate speeches in Pilibhit for want of evidence.

Both appeals were filed in the court of Pilibhit District and Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar Misra by government counsel Abhay Saxena. The court issued notice to Varun and fixed June 15 for a hearing.

Varun had allegedly made the speeches during the Lok Sabha election campaign in 2009. The then Mayawati government had then detained him under the National Security Act. On February 27,Varun was acquitted in the case registered against him at the Kotwali police station for allegedly making a hate speech at Dal Chand locality on March 7,2009. On March 5,he was acquitted in the second case lodged for reportedly delivering inflammatory speeches at Barkhera town on March 8,2009.

In both the cases,police filed chargesheets against Varun on charges which included promoting enmity on religious grounds and committing deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage any class by insulting its religion. Chief Judicial Magistrate Abdul Quaiyum acquitted Varun for want of evidence in both cases. The court found no prosecution witness supported the charges.

In all,there were 46 prosecution witnesses in both cases and 22 of them turned hostile. They included policemen and members of the public. The state government is yet to take decision on the third case in which also the court acquitted Varun for want of evidence on May 3. This case was lodged against Varun and 12 others on charges of rioting and attempt to murder after his supporters attacked the police team which was taking him to jail.

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