’02 Naroda Gam riots case: In acquittal order, court says evidence not reliable

Ex-BJP minister Maya Kodnani was also an accused. File pic/PTI

A special court here, which acquitted all the 67 accused in the Naroda Gam post-Godhra riots case, has criticised the probe conducted into it by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Supreme Court.

The court also said the evidence of witnesses is not consistent with each other and reliable. Even the account of star witnesses produced by the prosecution is not
consistent with each other and reliable and is full of contradictions.

Such evidence cannot be relied upon to implicate the accused and prove their crime, it said. The prosecution also failed to prove the presence of the accused at the place, it added.

Also Read: Naroda Gam riots: Two decades later, 67 accused acquitted

Eleven people were burnt alive in the Naroda Gam area of Ahmedabad district in Gujarat on February 28, 2002, a day after Godhra train fire incident.

The court of special judge S K Baxi on April 20 acquitted all the 67 accused, including former state BJP minister Maya Kodnani. A copy of the court order was made available on Tuesday.

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