2002 Gujarat riots: All accused acquitted in Naroda Gam massacre case

All accused in the Naroda Gam massacre case were acquitted by a special court in Ahmedabad on Thursday. 11 Muslims were killed in these communal riots which took place as part of the 2002 Gujarat riots. Eleven persons were killed in communal violence in Naroda Gam area of Ahmedabad city on February 28, 2002, during a bandh called to protest the Godhra train burning a day before in which 58 passengers, returning from Ayodhya, were killed.

Along with Kodnani, other prominent accused are former Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Jaydeep Patel. On April 16, the court of principal sessions Judge SK Baxi had fixed April 20 as the date for the verdict in the case and had also directed the accused to remain present in the court.Notably, all the accused in the case are currently out on bail. Out of the total 86 accused in the case, 18 died in the intervening period. Around 182 prosecution witnesses were examined during the trial. Apart from rioting and murder, Kodnani, 67, has also been charged with criminal conspiracy and attempted murder in the Naroda Gam case. It is pertinent to note that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also appeared as a defence witness for Kodnani in September 2017.