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Mumbai riots: Sarpotdar convicted

Special Correspondent

The former MP along with two others sentenced to one-year simple imprisonment

— PHOTO: PTI

Madhukar Sarpotdar leaves the special court in Mumbai on Wednesday after a hearing.

MUMBAI: Sixteen years after the Mumbai riots, the former Shiv Sena MP, Madhukar Sarpotdar, 74, became the first leader from the party to be convicted for his inflammatory speeches. Special Court Magistrate R.C. Bapat Sarkar on Wednesday convicted Mr. Sarpotdar and two others under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced them to a year’s simple imprisonment, apart from levying a fine of Rs. 5,000 each. Section 153 A relates to promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.

Three people have been acquitted. The two others convicted are Sena members Ashok Shinde and Jaywant Mahadev Parab.

The Magistrate stayed the order allowing the three to appeal in a sessions court by August 16. The trial court is permitted to stay the sentence if it is less than three years. All the three were released on bail, pending their appeal.

The case against Mr. Sarpotdar and others was filed during the riots for leading a mob to a Ganesh temple in Bandra on December 27, 1992. Of the six witnesses, five were police officers, but Mr. Sarpotdar, in his statement before the court, admitted to having been present with the mob as at that time he was an MLA. Apart from Section 153 A of the IPC, Mr. Sarpotdar and others were charged with unlawful assembly and rioting.

Shakeel Ahmed of Nirbhay Bano Andolan, the organisation which has been pursuing the riot cases, said it was an important conviction, as the trial court took into consideration the role played by Mr. Sarpotdar and his speeches. The defence argued that it was a religious procession.

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