GUJARAT GENOCIDE: 10 YEARS WAIT FOR 2-YEAR JAIL TERM

A decade after the incident, a local court on May 28 convicted a person and sentenced him to two-year jail term for torching a house in Madhavpura area during the 2002 riots. Additional sessions judge B J Dhandha awarded imprisonment to one Kunjan alias Kalio Patel, who was tried in connection with a complaint filed by Shamshuddin Shaikh (78), whose house was burnt on Mar 21, 2002. He had accused eight persons for the mischief, and police charge-sheeted them after investigation. The court has also slapped a fine of Rs 1,500 on Patel.

Shaikh was the only eyewitness to the incident, as the other locals had fled the site when they sensed mob coming towards the chawl. After the trial, the court found Patel guilty under Section 435 of IPC for committing mischief by fire or any explosive substance with intention to cause damage to somebody’s property. After the incident, Shaikh had no means of livelihood and was supported by a civil rights organisation in his legal battle, said his counsel Yasin Mansuri.