Gujarat High Court Affirms Acquittal in 2002 British Nationals Murder Case

The Gujarat High Court upheld a sessions court's decision acquitting six men accused of killing three British nationals in the 2002 riots. The court observed no substantial evidence to overturn the acquittal. The investigation was based on an anonymous fax and lacked independent eyewitnesses.

The Gujarat High Court has confirmed the acquittal of six men charged in the murder of three British nationals during the 2002 riots. This decision, which upholds a sessions court's 2015 ruling, comes after the court deemed the evidence insufficient for a conviction.

A division bench, led by Justices A Y Kogje and Samir J Dave, reviewed testimonies and the FSL report, which exonerated the accused. The case originally rested on an anonymous fax and did not feature independent eyewitness testimony.

Accusations had been leveled against Mithanbhai Chandu alias Prahlad Patel and others in the high-profile case. Despite initial charges, the evidence presented during the proceedings did not substantiate the claims beyond reasonable doubt, leading to their acquittal.

(With inputs from agencies.)