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This is an archive article published on October 9, 2023
Court acquits 19 over mob violence case in 2008
On June 21, 2008, the accused were charged for unlawfully assembly on a bridge in eastern suburbs of Mulund protesting against the death of the man.
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While 19 were acquitted, seven were discharged. (Representational photo)
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Court acquits 19 over mob violence case in 2008
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In a recent order, a sessions court has acquitted 19 persons and absolved seven others of charges including rioting following the murder of a Sikh man allegedly due to firing at a mob by the bodyguards of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the head of spiritual sect Dera Sacha Sauda, in 2008.
On June 21, 2008, the accused were charged for unlawfully assembly on a bridge in eastern suburbs of Mulund protesting against the death of the man. The police had claimed that 50-60 persons had assembled and some had pelted stones. The police had booked 27 people and filed a chargesheet against them.
While 19 were acquitted, seven were discharged. One person died while the case was pending and the trial against him was abated. The prosecution had examined 11 witnesses. The lawyers of the accused had said no proper identification was done for those booked. The court observed that of the 11 witnesses, only three were independent and the rest were from the police department.
“These three independent witnesses do not identify or support strictly the case of the prosecution,” the court said. The accused had submitted that none of the witnesses identified them being present on the spot. The court agreed that the allegations were general in nature and they did not specify the role and name of each of the accused.
In 2011, in a separate trial, the bodyguards accused of causing the death of one person were acquitted by a court.
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