Rajasthan Chief Minister’s plea for court exemption in 2011 riots case rejected

The Additional District Judge (ADJ) court in Rajasthan has rejected Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma’s plea for permanent exemption from court appearances in the 2011 Gopalgarh riots case.
The petition had requested that Sharma, due to his responsibilities as Chief Minister and the frequent travel demands of his position, be permitted to forgo court appearances for future hearings in the case.
However, the court underscored that Sharma’s bail was contingent on his availability for court appearances when summoned.
Bhajanlal Sharma, along with Congress leader Zahida Khan and others, was granted anticipatory bail in connection with the communal riots that erupted in Bharatpur district in 2011.
The riots, which stemmed from a land dispute between the Meo Muslim and Gujjar communities, led to violent clashes. Police resorted to firing to control the situation, resulting in ten deaths and over 45 individuals getting injured.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the case, filed a chargesheet in March 2012, implicating 15 individuals.