Justice Prevails: Acquittal in Decades-Old Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram Case

Satva Ladkya Bhagat, the last accused in the 1991 Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram attack, was acquitted by a Palghar court. The case involved rioting and dacoity by a 150-person mob. The court found insufficient evidence against Bhagat, similar to previous acquittals of other accused in the case.

In a significant legal development, the sole remaining accused in the 1991 Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram attack has been acquitted by a court in Maharashtra's Palghar district. This decades-old case has been a long-standing point of contention over the events of August 14, 1991, when a mob of 150 attacked the premises.

The attack led to severe injuries to manager Mahadeo Jairam Joshi and substantial property damage. However, Judge AV Chaudhari Inamdar concluded that Satva Ladkya Bhagat could not be reliably connected to the crimes due to insufficient evidence.

Originally, 32 individuals faced charges but were acquitted in 2003. Bhagat, like his co-accused, faced supplementary charges. The verdict emphasized the prosecution's failure to substantiate the accusations, further claiming witness testimony could not specifically identify Bhagat's involvement.

(With inputs from agencies.)