Gujarat government moves appeal against acquittal of MLA Jignesh Mevani, 9 others in 2017 case

The lawsuit is related to an incidental connected July 12, 2017, erstwhile Vadgam MLA Mevani and his associates led an ‘Azadi Kooch’ from Mehsana to Dhanera successful the neighbouring Banaskantha territory to people 1 twelvemonth of the infamous nationalist flogging of Dalit men successful Una that sparked a largescale agitation successful Gujarat.

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is present with the Congress, and Reshma Patel, who was with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) past and is present with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), were portion of the rally.

One of Mevani’s associates, Kaushik Parmar, had sought support for the rally nether the banner of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, an organisation founded by Mevani, from the Mehsana enforcement magistrate. Though support was initially granted, it was revoked by the authorities later. The organisers, however, held the rally.

After the rally, the Mehsana constabulary registered a lawsuit of unlawful assembly against Mevani and others nether Section 143 of the Indian Penal Code since they were not fixed support to clasp the march. The constabulary submitted a chargesheet against 12 radical successful the case.

Eventually, a proceedings was initiated against 10 radical by a magisterial tribunal of Mehsana. One of the 12 accused had died and the tribunal had passed an bid to clasp a abstracted proceedings against Kanhaiya Kumar arsenic helium was absent astatine the clip of framing of the charges.

In May 2022, the magisterial tribunal convicted Mevani and 9 others successful the lawsuit and sentenced them to 3 months imprisonment and a good of Rs 1,000 each. Two appeals were preferred earlier the sessions tribunal successful Mehsana territory against this order. While Mevani and the 9 others had moved an entreaty against their conviction, the authorities authorities moved an entreaty seeking enhancement of punishment.

The appeals were adjudicated by the sessions tribunal successful March 2023 and each 10 accused were acquitted. The Gujarat authorities has present preferred an entreaty earlier the precocious tribunal against this order.

Subodh Kumud, 1 of the respondents successful the case, said, “Advocate Rahul Sharma has appeared connected behalf of the respondents contiguous and the tribunal has ordered to supply him with a transcript of the petition moved by the authorities government.”