A lower court judge in central Gujarat has blamed what he called ‘pseudo secular media’ for prolonged prosecution of Hindu professionals like doctors, professors, teachers and businessmen in connection with the 2002 riots after the killing of 58 passengers in Sabarmati Express train fire at Godhra.

The Sessions Court Judge Harsh Trivedi blamed the ‘pseudo secular media’ for prosecution of the Hindu professionals while acquitting 35 people accused in four riot cases in Derol of central Gujarat during the VHP sponsored bandh called to avenge the killing of 58 passengers in Godhra train inferno.

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The police had implicated the prominent Hindu professionals in these riot cases due to uproar of pseudo secular media and politicians, the Sessions Court Judge said while acquitting the 35 people accused of rioting and murder.

Exactly ten months earlier, about a dozen convicted for the rape of Bilqis Bano were released prematurely because the local BJP MLA thought they were ‘good natured Brahmins.’

Total 52 people were accused for the killing of four Muslims at the Derol railway station the day after the Godhra train fire. Of the 52 accused, 17 have died during the two decades of trial while the other 35 were acquitted by the Sessions court last week.

The 36-page verdict of the Sessions Court said that the 35 accused are being acquitted due to “lack of evidence” as witnesses have turned hostile.