NEW YORK, Jan 15: An American court has thrown out a lawsuit against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by a human rights body in connection with the religious riots in Gujarat when he was its Chief Minister about 13 years ago.
The federal court ruled yesterday that Mr Modi now enjoys immunity from any type of prosecution as he was the head of a government.
Judge Analisa Torres of the US District Court said in a three-page order that the executive branch of the US government had determined that Mr Modi was entitled to immunity as the incumbent Prime Minister.
She stated, “The complaint is dismissed, and the court clerk is directed to close the case.”
American Justice Centre, the rights body, had brought the lawsuit against Mr Modi, alleging claims under the Torture Victim Protection Act and Alien Tort Statute based on acts committed while Mr Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002. In October, the US had filed a ‘Suggestion of lmmunity’ which said that “the Department of State recognises and allows the immunity of Prime Minister Modi as a sitting head of government from the jurisdiction of the United States district court in this suit.”
The ruling to close the case came two weeks before President Barack Obama will be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
The lawsuit was filed a day before the Prime Minister visited New York and Washington last year for the first time as the Indian leader.
(AGENCIES)
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