Mangaluru: The 6th Additional District and Sessions Court has aqcuitted journalist Naveen Soorinje accused no 44 in the 2012 home stay attack case.

Mr Soorinje and another journalist identified as Sharan had exposed the incident of home stay attack by videotaping the attack done by a pro-Hindutva outfit on July 20th 2012. Following a complaint by the victims, a total of 44 people were arrested including the two journalists.

Once Siddaramiah became the chief minister in June 2013, he decided to withdraw the case against Naveen claiming that the journalist was there only to record the incident and not to instigate it. Finally, Naveen Soorinje’s name has been cleared of any charge by the 6th Additional District and Sessions Court after several hearings.

Expressing his pleasure on his acquittal, Mr Soorinje said that he had been on the spot only to report the incident and not to instigate the attack. He added that those accused of the crime should not be released and should be given punitive punishment to ensure that no such act of moral policing occurs in the district again.

Meanwhile, no efforts have been made to withdraw the case against the other journalist Sharan who was the cameraman of a local TV and captured the whole incident.