Ahmedabad: Gujarat HC has retained the acquittal of six persons in the murder of three British national Indian origin near Purants in Sabarkantha district during the 2002 riots. On February 27, 2015, a special SIT court in Himmatnagar left the accused citing lack of evidence.
Justice Ay Kogje and SJ Dave HC said that the Sabkantha Principal District and Sessions Court found no reason to intervene in the order passed by the court. Noted that the case was based on an anonymous complaint received by the British High Commission.
An SC – SIT prosecuted six persons – Mathanbhai Patel, Chandu alias Prahlad Patel, Ramesh Patel, Manoj Patel, Rajesh Patel and Kalabhai Patel – to kill three British citizens who visited India in 2002.
Saeed Dawood, Shakeel Dawood and MD Aswat were killed on NH -8 near Wadwasa, a day after Godhra Carnez on 28 February 2002. A local driver, Yusuf Piragar, was also allegedly survived by a mob during the Godra violence. Another visitors from the UK, Imran Dawood, suffered persistent injuries, but managed to escape and later filed a complaint. He was an important witness in the case. The trial court rejected Imran’s testimony and acquitted all the accused.
Imran challenged Bari before HC, which in his judgment mentioned that the investigation was based on an anonymous fax message sent to the British High Commission, not “proof of any independent eyewitness”.
