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Sarpotdar let off in arms possession case for lack of evidence

Shiv Sena member of Parliament Madhukar Sarpotdar has been exonerated in the arms possession case registered during the Bombay communal riots of 1992-93, by Metropolitan Magistrate of the 25th metropolitan court B R Belose.

The case was discharged against him on April 29 for lack of evidence.

The Sena MP, who was then the local legislator, was arrested by army officials for possessing two pistols, two swords and two hockey sticks during curfew. He was later handed over to the Nirmal Nagar police station in Bandra, in north-western Bombay, and a case was registered against him. The arms were found hidden in the jeep in which he and some associates were travelling during the communal riots.

The MP was also examined by the Srikrishna Commission which probed into the riots and the subsequent bomb blasts.

Subedar Das and Lt R A Goswami, who arrested him, were summoned from Kashmir before the court to give evidence. However, they could not identify him in the witness box, and told the court that Sarpotdar had been detained "during darkness".

UNI

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