Patna, June 19: The court of first class judicial magistrate Manoj Kumar in Bhagalpur on Thursday acquitted Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi in an election conduct code violation case. The deputy chief minister was present at the court during the pronouncement of the verdict.

It was alleged that the Bharatiya Janta Party leader had put up his party’s flag on his vehicle during a visit to Shahkund, Bhagalpur, during the Lok Sabha elections on April 4, 2004, after poll conduct codes had been enforced.

The case was lodged against Modi by then Shahkund police station sub-inspector Narendra Kumar under appropriate Indian Penal Code (IPC) and CrPC provisions.

“The prosecution was unable to produce evidence against Modi. The case, which held no substance, fell flat,” Modi’s advocate Satyanarayan Pandey said after the verdict.

The prosecution was represented by additional public prosecutor Vijay Kumar Yadav while advocates Pandey and Satyanarayan Singh argued in favour of Modi.

A relieved Modi said: “I had no knowledge of anyone fixing a BJP flag on my vehicle. I had full faith in the court”.