Jamshedpur: Congress leader Ravindra Jha alias Nattu Jha, former minister Dulal Bhuiyan, Manoj Singh, Gurmeet Singh, and others have been acquitted by the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa in connection with a case filed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jamshedpur in 2016.
The incident dates back to April 24, 2016, when PM Modi arrived in Jamshedpur. Leaders and workers of the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) staged a protest against the then-proposed local domicile policy of the Jharkhand government. During the protest, slogans were raised against the Prime Minister, and shops in the Sakchi area were allegedly forced to shut down as part of the demonstration.
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Based on the statement of then Assistant Sub-Inspector Diwakar Dubey posted at Sakchi Police Station, an FIR was registered against Nattu Jha, Dulal Bhuiyan, and others under charges including unlawful assembly, disruption of public peace, and obstructing government work.
After nine years of legal proceedings, the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa delivered its verdict on Wednesday, acquitting all accused due to lack of evidence. The court observed that the prosecution failed to prove the charges or establish any unlawful conduct by the accused.
Speaking to the media after the verdict, Nattu Jha said, “This was a politically motivated case aimed at silencing democratic protest. Justice has prevailed, and now we are more determined to raise people’s issues.”
The verdict was welcomed by Congress and JMM leaders, who termed it a victory for democracy and a rejection of false and fabricated charges.
Party members and supporters expressed relief and satisfaction over the court’s decision, calling it a moral and legal vindication for the protestors who were merely exercising their democratic rights.