After 21 years, a special court in Ahmedabad has given the verdict in the Naroda Patiya case on Thursday, 20th April 2023. Former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani, Bajrang Dal leaders Babu Bajrangi and Jaideep Patel, and all others have been acquitted by the court in the case. In addition to the above three, a total of 86 accused were named in this case. Out of these, 18 accused have died during the past 21 years.
The case was going on in the sessions court in Ahmedabad for the last 14 years. The case was filed in the court in July 2009. after several rounds of hearings, the final arguments began in September 2017. On April 15, the court reserved its verdict after completing the arguments. Before the verdict, tight police security was put in place in the entire Naroda village to avoid any violent reaction.
Former minister Maya Kodnani was accused in the Naroda Patiya case
On February 27, 2002, coach S-6 of the Sabarmati Express was set ablaze by jihadi elements at Godhra railway station. In this compartment, 59 persons, including women and children, were burnt alive. All of them were devotees of Lord Ram returning from Ayodhya after performing karseva. The next day i.e. on February 28, 2002, a Gujarat bandh was called to protest the incident.
On the day of the bandh, retaliatory violence broke out in various cities of Gujarat, especially in Ahmedabad. Naroda Patiya violence was among the major ones among all these violent incidents. In the Naroda Patiya case, former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani was accused of inciting violence. In this case, the current Union Home Minister Amit Shah testified in favour of Maya Kodnani.
Naroda Patiya case
More than 18 accused in this case died before this verdict as the case lingered for 21 years in all. The trial started in 2010, so the case lasted for a total of 13 years in court. 187 and 57 witnesses were examined by the prosecution and defence respectively.
The trial of the case started under Justice SH Vora, after which he was appointed as a judge in the Gujarat High Court. When the arguments of the prosecution were completed, special judge PB Desai also retired four years ago and then the case was argued again before Justice Dave and Justice Bakshi. Apart from this, Jyotsnaben Yagnik, KK Bhatt, and PB Desai also retired during the trial.
In her defence, Maya Kodnani told the court that she was present in the Gujarat Assembly and then at the Sola Civil Hospital, so she was not present at Naroda Patiya during the riots.