District court acquits Swami Sachidanand of murder charge

A district court today acquitted godman Swami Sachidanand here giving him the benefit of doubt in a firing case, in which one person was shot dead in 2006.
Acquitting Swami Sachidanand, Additional District Judge M S Bhatt said today that the prosecution has not been able to establish the charge of murder against Sachidanand.
The case dates back to July 17, 2006, when a gang of robbers had attacked Swami Sachidanand's Bhaktiniketan ashram in Dhantli in Petlad taluka of Anand district.
The gang had allegedly beaten up disciples of Swami Sachidanand, who was sleeping on the ashram's first floor.
Swami Sachidanand fired a few rounds from his revolver, in which one Babu Mohaniya had sustained injuries and later on, succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

The police had lodged a complaint of loot and arrested robbers involved in the crime.

However, Mohaniya's nephew Ramesh Damor had alleged in his complaint to the police that his uncle had gone to the ashram seeking food for himself and that after a fight with Swami Sachidanand, he was shot dead by the godman.
The Gujarat High Court had ordered an inquiry under relevant sections of the Arms Act and under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
After completion of the trial and arguments by the prosecution and the counsel, Additional District Judge M S Bhatt acquitted Swami Sachidanand today, giving him the benefit of doubt.