In a major development, the Ahmedabad Metropolitan court on Tuesday agreed to request by the Gujarat Government to withdraw an alleged attempt to murder case against Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia and 38 others that took place 22 years ago.

The court has also exonerate all the accused in the case. The incident allegedly occurred at a political event of BJP held at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 20, 1996.

Then senior BJP leader Atmaram Patel and those believed to be loyal to Shankarsinh Vaghela who had revolted against then Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, were attacked by Kesbhubhai loyalists. Atmaram Patel had to flee for his life, virtually half-naked as attackers stripped him of his dhoti.

This incident had brought the internal rebellion of the BJP out in the public, leading eventually to Vaghela breaking away from the BJP to launch his own Rashtriya Janata Party.

It is worth mentioning that in the same case in which the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Court had earlier this month issued Non-Bailable Warrants against Togadia and 38 others, including sitting BJP MlA from Daskroi (Ahmedabad), Babu Jamnadas Patel, for not appearing before it. Togadia had then cried foul and dubbed the entire incident as a conspiracy by someone in Delhi, stating that the police never delivered him summons despite him having Z+ security apparatus.

Togadia had also created embarrassment for the ruling BJP Government a fortnight ago when he went missing for ten hours in another case. later, Togadia was found in a hospital, from where he again hit out at BJP Government, accusing it of plotting an “encounter” against him.

However, on Tuesday, as soon as the court convened for hearing in the case, the Government lawyer put up a request before the magistrate stating that the State Government was not in favour of fighting the case. The magistrate acceded to the request for withdrawal of case and acquitted all the 39 accused.