A US judge in New York on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that accused him of “attempted genocide” over deadly anti-Muslim riots in 2002.
Judge Analisa Torres threw out the suit on the grounds that Modi is immune from the court’s jurisdiction after the US government said he is entitled to immunity as a sitting head of government.
The American Justice Centre, a human rights group, filed the civil suit against Modi in September, accusing him of initiating and condoning the massacre, and holding him responsible for the deaths.
The outbreak of anti-Muslim violence left at least 1,000 people dead in 2002 in the western Indian state of Gujarat, where Modi was then chief minister before he was elected prime minister in 2014.
Modi denies any wrongdoing and the Indian courts have cleared him of all charges, but he remains tainted by the episode. The judge’s decision comes two weeks before US President Barack Obama is to be guest of honour at India’s Republic Day celebrations on Jan 26.
