Oct 3: The City Civil and Sessions Court today acquitted 18 men accused of ransacking two houses and a mutton shop during the January 1993 communal riots at Trombay, for lack of evidence and delay of three days in lodging first information report by the victim.Sessions judge R S Dave acquitted the men accused of looting Abdul Sheikh's house and mutton shop and another adjacent house. It was alleged that the mob looted cash and property worth Rs four lakh.According to Sheikh's complaint, the loot took place on the night of January 12, 1993. According to the complaint, Sheikh was supposed to get married on the same day and was about to go to his another house at Mankhurd. Sheikh's remaining family members were at their another house Nerul. At around 12.30 am, the mob attacked Sheikh's house. It was alleged that the men were armed with swords, iron rods and sticks. The mob entered Sheikh's house and drove him out. Then they destroyed the house while Sheikh fled, it was alleged. Sheikh alleged that when he approached the Trombay police station to lodge a complaint, the police refused to register it. However, it was not clear how the same police station registered the FIR on January 15, 1997, three days after the alleged riot. Special public prosecutor Vaiude argued for the state while advocates Anil Bugade and Nitin Sejpal defended the accused.Navi Mumbai stir still onAll wholesale markets dealing in sugar, spices, gur, grains, pulses, oilseeds, coconut and dry fruits in Navi Mumbai continued to remain close as the indefinite strike by traders entered the third day today.Traders said that if the strike continued further, shops would run out of essential commodities and people would have to celeberate the Navaratri festival without sugar and other essential commodities.``We are not getting our daily quota of sugar, grains and pulses for the last three days and whatever we get are at higher rates. I have also to sell them at increased rates,'' a local shopkeeper said.
