The head of India’s ruling Hindu chauvinist party BJP was acquitted of three murder charges yesterday in a trial that undermined the government’s promise of a new era of clean politics.

Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s closest aide, was cleared of ordering police to kill gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife and his friend, when he served as home minister under Mr Modi in Gujarat state.

He was acquitted due to lack of evidence.