Gujarat: Supreme Court orders release of imprisoned tribal Christians

Overruling an earlier judgment by the High Court, the Supreme Court instructed the Government of Gujarat to speed up the progress in releasing the imprisoned tribal Christians in the state.

According to All India Christian Council (AICC), a tribal Gopaji Ramabhai was injured in a fight with a tribal group at Piplod village, Valsad district of Gujarat. Although, he was taken to the hospital he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.

The police, who were investigating the murder, distorted the fact and blamed five Christian Missionaries behind the murder. It is believed that the Bajrang Dal and Viswa Hindu Parishad members pressurized the police to falsify the case and imprison the Christians.

Upon trial, the court in Valsad and Additional Sessions Judge VK Mali passed the order giving life imprisonment to all the five missionaries. The verdict was given after imposing a fine of Rs 500 each, on 19 June 2004.

"The missionaries appealed against the order of the session’s court in the High Court on 21 December 2004. The court rejected the application for bail. They then with the help of All India Christian Council filed a Criminal Appeal before the Supreme Court," quoted AICC.

On August 24 2007, the five missionaries on a surety of Rs 10,000 each were released by a bench comprising of Justice SB Singha and Justice HS Bedi.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has given directions to the DSP of Dahod district to submit an Action–Taken Report within four weeks in Delhi. NHRC came to the conclusion, only after AICC team presented the case and urged them to render justice.