Additional District and Sessions Judge Vijay Prakash also acquitted 17 men in the case.Earlier in the day the court found 26 men guilty of the infamous Laxmanpur-Bathe massacre.
The hearing in the case was concluded on March 31 last and court fixed April 7 for pronouncing the verdict. A police official associated with the probe in the case said that the charges were framed in the case, against 44 Ranvir Sena men, on December 23, 2008 under Section 302,147 and 48 of the Indian Penal Code,Section 27 of the Arms Act for making unlawful assembly with a common object and being armed with weapons to kill.
The jailed Ranvir Sena chief Barmeshwar Singh alias Mukhiajee was one of accused in the case but he was shown as an absconder in the case. During the hearing 91 witnesses deposed before the court. There were 47 accused in the case but three were absconding.
The case was transferred to Patna from Jehanabad following a High Court order in October, 1999.
