US welcomes dismissal of lawsuit against PM Narendra Modi

WASHINGTON: Welcoming the dismissal of a lawsuit against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots case, the Obama administration has said it is pleased with the court's ruling based on its determination.

"We are pleased," a State Department spokesperson said. US District Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed against Modi by a rights group for his alleged role in the communal riots, upholding the Obama administration's stance that he enjoys immunity as a sitting head of a foreign government.

"We have seen that the complaint brought in Federal District Court against Indian Prime Minister Modi was dismissed, based on the Executive Branch's brief that PM Modi is entitled to immunity as the sitting head of a foreign government," the spokesperson said yesterday.

The official said that courts have "consistently dismissed cases against sitting heads of state and heads of government on the basis of their immunity."

The lawsuit was filed by New York-based American Justice Centre in September last year, just days before Modi arrived in the US on his maiden visit as Prime Minister to attend the UN General Assembly session and for a meeting with Obama in Washington.