New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman justice A S Anand on July 2 said he believed that the acquittal of all the 21 accused in the Best Bakery case in Vadodara by a special court was prima facie a "miscarriage of justice" and the state government must appeal against the verdict.

"The Gujarat government must appeal against the verdict and if it does not, the relatives of the victims, complainants, can also seek permission of the court and file an appeal against the acquittal," Anand told 'NDTV 24x7'.

Asked if he thought prima facie the verdict was a miscarriage of justice and a fit case for appeal, the former Chief Justice of India said, "I think so."

Twelve people were charred to death on March 1, 2002 in the Best Bakery in Vadodara during a bandh call given by the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to protest the killing of 59 Ram sevaks near Godhra railway station on February 27, 2002.

A special court in Vadodara acquitted all the 21 accused on June 27 for want of evidence.

The NHRC chief said an appeal must be filed in a case like this, more particularly when most of the witnesses had turned hostile and the rest of them were not even examined.

PTI