Jignesh Mevani and Six Others Cleared of Charges in 2016 Unlawful Assembly Rioting Case

In a significant legal development, Jignesh Mevani, a prominent Congress legislator and Dalit leader, along with six others, has been acquitted by a Gujarat court in a 2016 unlawful assembly and rioting case. The charges included unlawful assembly, rioting, and causing damage to public property during a protest supporting sanitation workers. The accused were alleged to have damaged a police vehicle, shouted slogans, and engaged in rioting while being detained. The court, headed by additional metropolitan magistrate PN Goswami, cleared Mevani and the co-accused due to insufficient evidence. Mevani, who won the December 2022 assembly election, continues to play a significant role in the state's political landscape.

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In a recent legal development, Jignesh Mevani, a Congress legislator and prominent Dalit leader, along with six co-accused individuals, has been acquitted by a Gujarat court in a case dating back to 2016. The charges against them pertained to unlawful assembly and rioting during a protest organized in September 2016 at the Income Tax crossroads in support of sanitation workers employed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

The court, under the jurisdiction of additional metropolitan magistrate PN Goswami, rendered the verdict, stating that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the charges. The accused individuals, including Mevani, were booked for offenses such as unlawful assembly, rioting, and causing damage to public property. The charges specifically mentioned damage to a police vehicle, shouting slogans, and engaging in riotous behavior while being transported to a police stadium under detention.

The first information report (FIR) was registered at Navrangpura police station, citing sections of the Indian Penal Code related to unlawful assembly, rioting, and acts in a public place. Additionally, charges were filed under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. According to the prosecution, the accused had allegedly damaged police vehicles and assaulted a police driver during their transfer from the protest site to the police stadium, an event that occurred without prior permission.

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Jignesh Mevani, who emerged victorious in the December 2022 assembly election as a Congress candidate from the Vadgam seat, holds a significant political position as the working president of the party's state chapter. The court's decision marks a notable legal outcome in this case, offering relief to the accused individuals and concluding a chapter in the legal proceedings stemming from the 2016 incident. This acquittal holds implications not only for Mevani but also for the broader political and legal landscape in Gujarat.