New Delhi, Nov 17: Over an year after all the accused in the post-Godhra Kidiad massacre riot case were acquitted by a Gujarat trial court, an NGO today filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging their acquittal. Stating that the Gujarat government did not file any appeal challenging the acquittal of the accused, the NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace through its secretary Teesta Shetalvad filed the special leave petition in the apex court.
The petitioner drew a parallel between the Kidiad massacre, in which 87 people from the minority community were killed by a rampaging mob in Panchmahal district, with the Best Bakery case.
It said that the additional sessions judge at Godhra in Panchmahal district had acquitted all the accused saying that the witnesses have turned hostile even though their relatives had been killed in the incident.
The petitioner alleged that in Kidiad massacre or Limbadiya Chowky case, in which 87 persons were burnt alive in two tempos on March 02 last year, sitting BJP MLA Kalubhai Hirabhai Maliwad was the main accused.
The chargesheet was filed on May 27, 2002. Nine accused were shown to be arrested and nine as absconding. The trial court had acquitted all the accused on October 11 last year.
Bureau Report