By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Senior advocate Vrinda Grover has held the Uttar Pradesh Government and UP Police responsible for “botched up investigation” for the unfavourable judgement in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre.
Sixteen Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel have been acquitted by a court here on Saturday in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre case. Around 19 PAC personnel were facing trial for allegedly killing 42 people in Hashimpura Mohalla of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh on 22 May 1987, of which three have died during the trial.
Vrinda Grover (TCN file photo)
The people of Hashimpura have been struggling for 28 years to get justice, Advocate Vrinda Grover told TwoCircles.net, adding that it was the reasonability of the state to identify the culprits. Grover has been fighting for justice, along with Special Public Prosecutor Satish Tamta and counsel for the survivors and family members of victims, senior advocate Rebecca John.
Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Jindal acquitted 16 PAC personnel of the charges dealing with murder, attempt to murder, tampering with evidence and conspiracy; giving them the benefit of doubt and said lack of evidence has failed to establish their identification in the case.
“The whole judgement has not come yet, but from what the honourable judge read in the court, he accepted that 42 Muslims were brutally murdered. It was the responsibility of the state government and UP Police to investigate and identify the murderers,” she told TCN, adding, “The government and the police from beginning did botch up investigations to weaken the case in order to protect the guilty.”
Accepting that it’s a setback, she said that once they get the whole judgement, they will decide the future course of action after going through it.
Asked if she would expect from the Samjwadi Party led UP Government to appeal to higher court against the judgement, a dejected Grover told TCN, “In this country political parties remember Muslims only at the time of election and use them as vote bank, however, when it comes to justice for them, all parties, whether it is BJP, Congress, BSP or SP, pay lip services.”
She reminded that from fake encounters to riot cases only in rare instances victims get justice.
The killings had occurred during riots in Meerut city after the victims were picked up from the Hashimpura Mohalla of the city by personnel of the 41st company of the PAC during a search operation.
The charge sheet in the case was filed before Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Ghaziabad in 1996. The case was transferred to Delhi in September 2002 on the order of the Supreme Court following a petition by the families of the massacre victims and survivors.
A sessions court here in July 2006 had framed charges of murder, attempt to murder, tampering with evidence and conspiracy against all the accused.
The court has said although the accused persons have been acquitted in this case, it felt the victims and affected families should be rehabilitated.
1987 Hashimpura massacre (Courtesy: IE)
Timeline of 1987 Hashimpura massacre case
May 1987: 42 people killed in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
1996: Chargesheet filed before Chief Judicial Magistrate Ghaziabad.
September 2002: Case transferred to Delhi on the order of the Supreme Court following a petition by the families of the massacre victims and survivors.
July 2006: Court framed charges of murder, attempt to murder, tampering with evidence and conspiracy against all the accused.
January 21, 2015: Court reserved verdict in the case.
(With Inputs from IANS)