A sessions court in Gujarat has rejected the Gujarat government's request to withdraw a criminal case against 19 Karni Sena activists who were charged with vandalism and property damage during protests against the film "Padmaavat" in 2018.
The activists were booked for rioting, unlawful assembly, arson, and criminal conspiracy, under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), section 3(1) of the Damages to Public Property Act, and section 135(1) of the Gujarat Police Act. The charges stem from a violent protest on January 23, 2018, where a candle march organized by the Karni Sena against the film turned violent. The protestors allegedly vandalized a mall, torched vehicles, and damaged property, causing damages estimated at ₹16.4 lakh.
Following an investigation, the police filed a chargesheet, and the case has been pending in a sessions court since 2019. The state government initially sought to withdraw the case in 2022 through a request to a JMFC court under CrPC section 321, but this was denied. Subsequently, the government approached the Ahmedabad (rural) sessions court, arguing that withdrawing the prosecution was in the public interest and would aid the administration of justice, as the accused were "youngsters who acted in the heat of passion and were high on emotions," not inherently criminals.
Additional sessions judge Hardik Shah rejected the government's plea, stating that the court could not permit the withdrawal of prosecution merely because the state government had instructed the public prosecutor to do so. The court noted that the public prosecutor had not independently applied their mind or expressed their opinion on the matter. Furthermore, the court emphasized that the alleged offense was committed "to achieve personal interest and to maintain dominance of a particular community, ignoring the public interest".
The film "Padmaavat" faced widespread protests from Rajput groups like the Karni Sena, who alleged that it distorted history and tarnished the image of Queen Padmini of Chittor. The Supreme Court had previously overturned bans imposed by several states on the film's release. Despite the court's order, protests and incidents of violence continued across several states.
