Gujarat govt drops 151 criminal cases filed against migrant workers during lockdown

As per a statement by the state government, it has decided to withdraw 151 criminal cases filed against migrant workers for violation of lockdown rules while they were returning to their home states.

The state government on Thursday announced withdrawing 151 criminal cases filed against migrant workers across Gujarat for lockdown violation while they were going back to their home state during the lockdown phase in 2020.

As per a statement released by the information department of the state government, the office of state home and law minister Pradipsinh Jadeja on Thursday said, “A lockdown was implemented to curb the infection amid coronavirus pandemic and during the lockdown, among the cases filed for violation of rules, the state government has decided to withdraw 151 criminal cases filed against migrant workers while they were returning to their home states (sic).” It also said that 208 such cases have been disposed of by the courts.

The office of Jadeja further said, “This decision was taken by the sensitive Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Gujarat is an industrial state where lakhs of migrant workers from all over the country arrive for employment. During the lockdown, the state government in coordination with the union government had arranged for 1,000 trains and other transport means to ferry back 24 lakh migrant workers to their home states…”

“Arrangements were made for free ration for the workers. By deciding to withdraw 151 such criminal cases against the migrant workers, the state government has shown sensitivity towards them… The public prosecutors will be informed through district magistrates to initiate the necessary proceedings to withdraw these cases and dispose them promptly (sic)…” the release added.

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