A magistrate court on Friday accepted the Ahmedabad Crime Branch’s closure report and dropped proceedings against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a case related to violation of the model code of conduct during the last Lok Sabha elections.
“It is hereby ordered that the final report (closure report) by the investigating officer be accepted and proceedings of this matter be dropped,” the court ruled.
The court agreed with the findings of the Crime Branch, who gave a clean chit to Mr. Modi saying that no offence was made out against him. Police inspector Harpal Rathod, who is the complainant in the case also did not object to the closure report.
On April 30, upon the directive of the Election Commission, the police had registered an FIR against Mr. Modi for violation of provisions under section 126 (1) (a) and 126 (1) (b) of the Representation of the People Act and under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.
Mr. Modi, the then prime ministerial candidate of the BJP, had held a press conference at a garden outside a polling booth in Ranip and also took a ‘selfie’ on his phone holding up a ‘lotus’ symbol.