Hundreds of Hindus acquitted in Kandhamal riots cases

Chaitra Shukla 12, Kaliyug Varsha 5114

By Mr. Anil Dhir

Give a dog a bad name and then hang him !

In early March this year, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, placed India on the ‘Watch List’ of countries with severe violations of religious freedom, primarily due to lack of progress in achieving justice for victims of past large-scale incidents of communal violence in Kandhamal in 2008.

The independent federal agency called on US to urge the Indian government to strengthen the ability of state and central police to provide effective measures to prohibit and punish cases of religious violence to the fullest extent of the law while protecting victims and witnesses.

Kandhamal riots were started due to killing of Swamiji by Christian-backed Maoists

In March itself, the two Fast Track Courts constituted for speedy trial of the accused in the riots aquited 156 persons.The acquittal was in connection to three separate incidents that originated during the violence against Christians in Orissa’s Kandhamal district in 2007 and August 2008. There have been nearly 600 acquittals and only 30 sentencing till date.

Citing lack of proper evidences, Additional Sessions Judge S K Das of Fast Track Court-I acquitted 14 persons in a house burning incident at village Dakedi under G.Udayagiri Police station. In another case, the Additional Sessions Judge of Fast Court-II acquitted all the 142 persons arrested by the Brahmanigam police in two cases of torching houses during the violence in 2007.In the midst of the large number of acquittals, only one person was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The manner in which the Union of India and the Government of Odisha bent backwards to appease the Christian pressure groups is evident from the lack of convictions in the riot cases. The acquittals find small mention on page 5 of the dailies, whereas even a single sentencing is given prominence on the first page.

The Supreme Court has stayed hearings on the case of the alleged rape of the Christian Nun on the plea by the victim challenging the prosecution’s failure to cross examine a Sub Divisional Magistrate, who is a witness for the prosecution. The SDM in his deposition had cited facts contrary to

the rape by one of the accused and the nun had sought the SDM’s cross-examination or alternatively wanted him to be declared a  hostile witness, but both the trial court and the Odisha High Court had turned down her plea, saying a request for cross-examination of a prosecution witness could be made either by the public prosecutor or upon court’s direction.

The apex court said it would examine the matter at length as an important question of law under Section 311 and 301 of the CrPC relating to rights of a complainant to cross-examine a witness was involved. Many of the under trails are still languishing in prisons, and a number of them have not returned to their homes fearing police persecution on trumped up charges.

Here are the few news appeared about acquittal of Hindus :

1) 156 acquitted in Kandhamal riots cases – Daily Pioneer
2) 39 accused in Kandhamal riot acquitted – Indian Express
3) 31 accused in Kandhamal riots acquitted – Times Of India
4) 27 acquitted in Kandhamal riot cases – Times Of India