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| Muslim men in Madhya Pradesh, accused of celebrating Pakistan's cricket victory on 18 June 2017, at the Shahpur police station in Burhanpur district. Photo by RL |
Burhanpur, MP- The Unraveling of a False CaseIn a landmark judgement, a Madhya Pradesh court has absolved 17 Muslim men of charges related to celebrating Pakistan's cricket victory, citing a lack of evidence and coerced witness statements. This case highlights the complexities of legal battles and their profound impact on individuals and communities.
A District court in Madhya Pradesh has declared that the case against 17 Muslim men accused of celebrating Pakistan's cricket victory in 2017 was baseless. The court's decision came after the Hindu complainant and other witnesses recanted their statements, claiming they were coerced by police into making false accusations.
The incident, which occurred in the village of Mohad, had led to the men being charged with sedition and criminal conspiracy. However, the charges were later altered to promoting enmity between different groups when the sedition case could not be substantiated. Despite the public retraction of allegations by the complainant, the case continued until recently.
The court's judgement, delivered by magistrate Devander Sharma, found no evidence to support the claims that the accused had celebrated with slogans and firecrackers. Consequently, all accused were acquitted of the charges.
This case had a profound impact on the community, leading to a cessation of cricket watching and playing, especially during India-Pakistan matches, due to the trauma experienced by those involved. The defence lawyer, Shoeb Ahmad, highlighted the importance of the complainant and witnesses' testimony in securing the acquittal.
Tragically, the ordeal led to the suicide of one of the accused, a father of two, in 2019. Additionally, two minors involved in the case were acquitted by a juvenile court in 2022 but have since abandoned their education.
While the initial incident received extensive media coverage, the acquittal has gone largely unreported, leaving the men to rebuild their lives after years of legal struggle and societal stigma.
