Thane Sessions Court Acquits 54 Sanitation Workers In 2013 Protest Case, Convicts 1 For Unlawful Assembly

Thane, March 9: A Thane sessions court has acquitted 54 contractual sanitation workers who were arrested during a protest in 2013, while convicting one man for being part of an unlawful assembly.

Court verdict in Vartaknagar police case

The judgment was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge G. G. Bhansali in a case registered by the Vartaknagar police station. The accused had faced charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting, assaulting a public servant, causing damage to property, and obstructing public officials.

However, based on the testimony of police witnesses, the court held that one accused, Mahendra Gulabrao Hivrale, was leading the group and had participated in the unlawful assembly during the protest. He was convicted under Section 143 of the IPC, which deals with unlawful assembly.

Sentence and fine imposed

While determining the sentence, the court noted that the accused had been facing trial since 2013 and had no criminal antecedents. The judge also observed that the workers were agitating for their rights, including demands for proper remuneration and regularisation of their services.

Considering these factors, the court sentenced Hivrale to simple imprisonment till the rising of the court and imposed a fine of Rs 2,500. In default of payment, he would have to undergo simple imprisonment for five days.

Background of the 2013 sanitation workers’ protest

According to the prosecution, contractual sanitation workers of the Thane Municipal Corporation had been on strike since July 19, 2013, demanding better service conditions and equal pay. On August 1, 2013, a large group gathered near the parking area of municipal clean-up vehicles close to Jupiter Hospital in Thane.

Police alleged that the protesters obstructed municipal vehicles and prevented sanitation services from operating across the city. When a driver, Pramod Sahu, attempted to take out a clean-up vehicle, some members of the mob allegedly pelted a stone at the vehicle, breaking its front glass and assaulting the driver. Following the incident, police detained and arrested 55 people.

Court cites gaps in investigation

During the trial, the prosecution examined seven witnesses, most of whom were police personnel. However, the court noted several shortcomings in the investigation, including the absence of independent witnesses and the failure to trace the driver who was allegedly assaulted. The panch witness to the spot panchnama also turned hostile during the trial.

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The court observed that the prosecution failed to produce sufficient evidence linking most of the accused to the alleged offences such as rioting, assaulting a public servant, or damaging government property. As a result, accused numbers 2 to 55 were acquitted of all charges.

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