E-Paper
2009 riots over Vienna attack: Jalandhar court turns down plea to withdraw prosecution in violence case
Punjab government pleaded to withdraw prosecution against all accused facing trial in a case of attempt to murder and arson after riots in Jalandhar in the wake of Vienna attack
The additional district and sessions court, Jalandhar, on Monday dismissed the Punjab government’s petition to withdraw prosecution against all accused facing trial in a case of attempt to murder and rioting registered in May 2009 in Jalandhar after the assassination of Ravidassia sect preacher Sant Rama Nand in Austrian city of Vienna.
Advocate Darshan Singh Dyal, counsel of Dr Baljit Singh Johal, whose hospital and property were damaged by a mob in the riots, said the application was moved by the prosecution under section 321 of the Code of the Criminal Procedure.
A case of attempt of murder and other sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered on May 25, 2009, against Mandeep Kumar Jassal, now a Jalandhar councillor, and 7 others.
In July this year, the state home department in a letter to the district attorney had said the Punjab government has granted nod to withdraw prosecution in six criminal cases related to violence after the Vienna incident.
Dyal said 75 criminal cases of murder, looting, arson and destroying private and public property were registered after the Vienna incident. A gunman was killed by the mob in Philluar on May 5, 2009.
“Thirty FIRs were sent to the court as “untraced” while 45 cases were sent for trial. All accused have been freed by court in 19 cases citing “lack of evidence” on the part of police. It is crystal clear that the order has been issued by the government to please a particular community since the assembly elections are around the corner,” Dyal argued.
