32 years later, man acquitted in post-Babri riot case

Mumbai court acquits man accused in post-Babri Masjid riots for lack of evidence, after 32 years. 15 others still absconding.

MUMBAI: The sessions court, last week, acquitted a man arrested in connection with the post-Babri Masjid demolition communal riots in the city.

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The court acquitted the Mira Road resident, a taxi driver, who was accused of being part of a mob involved in assaulting people and looting shops.

The accused, Rajesh Jaiswal (58), was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, and booked under the Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act. He was arrested on January 16 this year, 32 years after the riots of December 1992.

The sessions court judge, S D Tawshikar, while acquitting the accused, observed that there is no evidence to prove that Jaiswal was present during the time of the incident. The court added that “the prosecution failed to prove any of the charges levelled against the accused”. The prosecution, represented by Ajit Chavan, brought in 12 witnesses in the case.

The incident dated back to December 7, 1992, when an inspector of Dharavi police station, Purshottam Dhabarde, lodged an FIR against 4500 to 5000 individuals from the Muslim community. Jaiswal was arrested recently after being on the run. The defence, represented by Kavita Durgapal, stated that the victim was not involved in the mob violence. She maintained that he was just an onlooker who had parked his vehicle in the area.

The court further directed the cases against 15 other persons, who are absconding, to be kept as a dormant file and issue non-bailable warrants against them. It asked the Dharavi police to search and produce them for trial.