Supreme Court grants bail to 8 convicts of Godhra train fire – 59 kar sevaks were burnt alive

Godhra Train Fire Accident: The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to eight convicts serving life term in the 2002 Godhra train burning case in Gujarat, but refused to acquit the other four in view of their role in the case. Went. In February 2002, 59 pilgrims were burnt alive in a train compartment at Godhra in Gujarat, triggering riots in the state.

The accused have been sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, told Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha said that due to the role of the four accused in the case, they cannot be granted bail. The accused have already served 17 years of imprisonment. Opposing the bail of the four accused, Mehta said that an iron rod was recovered from one of them and a weapon, a sickle mounted on a stick, was recovered from the other accused.

Mehta said another accused bought petrol, which was used to burn the coach, and the last accused attacked and robbed the passengers.

Lawyers urge not to dismiss bail plea of 4 accused

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the petitioners, suggested that the court may adjourn the hearing on the bail pleas of the four convicts, whose bail was opposed by Mehta, and grant bail to the other convicts. Hegde said he made the suggestion especially since Saturday is a special festival and urged the bench to hear the bail pleas of the four convicts after two weeks, adding that arguments have to be made on their behalf.

Another senior advocate also urged the bench not to dismiss the bail pleas of the four accused and to adjourn the hearing of their bail pleas. Mehta insisted that the court should dismiss the bail pleas of the four convicts and said the court could leave it open to revive these applications after a year or two.

What did the Supreme Court say?

After hearing the arguments, the bench granted bail to eight convicts and rejected the bail of four convicts. Concluding the hearing, the bench said for the eight petitioners to whom it had granted bail- We direct that they be released on bail subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the Sessions Court. On the last date of hearing, the apex court had rejected the bail of two convicts in the case.

The Gujarat government had challenged in the apex court the decision to commute the death sentence of 11 convicts to life imprisonment. The apex court was informed that several accused in the case have challenged the High Court order upholding their conviction in the matter.

An accused got bail in December last year

On December 15 last year, the Supreme Court had granted bail to one of the accused in the 2002 Godhra train burning incident that followed communal riots in Gujarat. In January this year, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the state government on the bail pleas of Abdul Rehman Dhantia alias Kankatto, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla and others.