Zeenews Bureau
Pilibhit: In a major relief for BJP Member of Parliament (MP) from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi, a local court on Wednesday acquitted him in one of the hate speech cases.
Hearing into another case is scheduled to take place on March 1.
Welcoming the verdict, Varun Gandhi thanked the people of UP and Pilibhit who elected him.
"I welcome the decision of the honourable court that upholds my commitment to a strong and united India," Mr Gandhi tweeted after the ruling.
Varun Gandhi had reportedly made inflammatory remarks against Muslims in Pilibhit in the run-up to the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
Varun was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the People`s Representative Act for "promoting enmity" and acts "prejudicial to maintenance of harmony",
However, he strongly denied the charges, claiming that in one instance he was referring to bad elements and in the second one, the tapes have been doctored.
Varun Gandhi, great-grandson of the country`s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, won the Lok Sabha election from the Pilibhit seat.
The young BJP leader has been accused by then chief minister Mayawati and her government of promoting enmity between groups on the grounds of religion.
