A local court in Ahmedabad on Saturday acquitted Parth Modhwadia, the son of forest and environment minister Arjun Modhwadia, along with 24 others in a decade-old booze party case. The court raised questions about the police raid on the party and the investigation carried out by a police officer who was herself suspended on bribery charges.
Background of the case
In May 2016, PSI Chandrakala Jadeja and her team raided a flat in Asawari Tower in Satellite and caught 25 people, including Modhwadia's son, for allegedly consuming liquor during a party. At that time, Modhwadia was a leader in the opposition Congress party. They were charged under various sections of the Prohibition Act, according to Modhwadia's advocate Brijrajsinh Jhala.
Court's observations
After the trial, additional chief judicial magistrate at the Ahmedabad rural court, C V Bhatt, acquitted all the accused. The magistrate stated, "In the present case, two contradictory versions have been recorded regarding the actions taken on-site following the tip-off received by the complainant (PSI Jadeja) about the raid." The court also noted inconsistencies in the investigation conducted by PSI Jadeja, who was later suspended on bribery charges.
Implications of the acquittal
The acquittal of all 25 accused marks a significant development in the case that had been pending for over a decade. The court's decision highlights the importance of proper investigation procedures and the credibility of law enforcement officers involved in such cases.
