Dhanbad, June 4: The court of additional district and sessions judge Satya Prakash today acquitted 24 persons, including a couple of veteran JMM leaders, in connection with an attack on the cavalcade of RJD chief and then Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad way back in 1992.
Lack of evidence and failure of then investigating officer in the case to identify the accused - then ASI Mahesh Ram Paswan stated in court he was too old now to remember anyone - led to the 24 acquittals.
But, the damp squib reminded many of the polarisation between RJD and JMM during United Bihar in the early 1990s over the proposed creation of Jharkhand, something Lalu was vehemently opposed to.
Altogether, the police had accused 42 people for attacking Lalu's convoy on October 29, 1992, at Kisan Chowk, Barwaddah.
A large group, including many JMM leaders, had pelted Lalu's convoy with stones in response to his earlier alleged derogatory remarks on Jharkhand's proposed creation. Lalu in Patna had claimed that Jharkhand could only be created over his dead body, which had angered the JMM leaders spearheading the separate statehood campaign.
The attackers had also damaged Lalu's vehicle.
Lalu, who had come for an inspection of a fire in Jharia, was hurriedly escorted to safety by the police. His convoy was diverted towards Govindpur.
Shibu Soren, who was the JMM chief even then, was also stopped by the police ahead of a party meeting at Govindpur to avert further clashes.
Today, those acquitted include senior JMM leaders Santlal Pramanik and Ashok Mandal.
Others among the 24 include Hafijuddin Ansari, Gullu Ansari, Haripad Mandal, Shamsuddin Ansari, Devki Ram Mahto, Shyamdeo Sharma, Premchand Mandal, Kapil Goyal, Mohammed Israel, Sudhir Mahto and D.R. Mahto.
During the 23-year-old trial, eight accused, including frontrunner JMM leaders Manindra Nath Mandal Teklal Mahto died. Some are absconding.
Out of 19 witnesses of the accused, most turned hostile. Only one witness appeared before court.
Defense lawyer Kansari Mandal said: "All the 24 accused were released today due to lack of evidence against them. The police had falsely implicated them in the case."
