Badnawar (Madhya Pradesh): A special court in Dhar has acquitted all accused in the 2020 Badnawar Assembly by-election clash after holding that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Special Judge Mary Margaret Francis David delivered the judgment acquitting Abhishek Modi, former Badnawar Municipal Council president, Sajid Khan, Rakesh Chaudhary, Sandeep Chaudhary, Ashwin Patidar, Niranjan Palsingh Pawar and Toofan Singh.
They had been charged under Sections 307 and 294/34 of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the SC/ST Act.
According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly assaulted Jagdish, Om Bana, Pradeep Rathore and others on Tilgara Road on November 2, 2020, during the Badnawar by-election campaign.
They were also accused of using casteist remarks against Jagdish, a Scheduled Tribe member.
During the trial, however, the court found that the prosecution had failed to establish the allegations beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted all the accused.
Police had filed the chargesheet after completing the investigation. Abhishek, Sajid, Ashwin and Niranjan Palsingh remained in judicial custody from November 17 to December 7, 2020. Advocates Dheeraj Dixit and Sohail Nisar represented the accused.
