Kobad Ghandy was booked in January 2010 by Patiala Sadar police. (File Photo)
Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy was acquitted by a court in Patiala on Tuesday of all charges in a case accusing him of delivering 'anti-national' speeches at Punjabi University in 2010.
Additional sessions and district judge Mohammad Gulzar passed the order after the case was heard on a day-to-day basis since September 27.
Mr Ghandy was booked in January 2010 by Patiala Sadar police for holding meetings on the premises of Punjabi University in April and May 2009 to allegedly promote Maoist ideology.
After his acquittal, Mr Ghandy, 66, said he was never a member of any banned outfit, he is a journalist and that he had just expressed his opinion.
Defence counsel Brijinder Singh Sodhi had pleaded that his client was booked for delivering the lecture in April and May 2009 and at that time, CPI (Maoist) was not banned. The organisation was banned on 22 June 2009, claimed Mr Sodhi.