Gujarath: The Gujarat High Court can pronounce its verdict on a set of appeals challenging the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the 2002 Godhra train coach burning sensation case.
The Sabarmati Express’s coach S-6, in which 59 people, mostly traveling from Ayodhya, were traveling was burnt on the Godhra station on February 27, 2002, resulting in riots in the state.
The special SIT court blamed 31 people on March 1, 2011, and acquitted 63 in the case. While 11 people were sentenced to death, 20 were given life in prison.
Later on, in the High court numerous appeals were filed, while the state government acquitted had questioned the acquittal of 63 Accused Persons.
The court convicted 31 people, accusing the prosecution’s argument that there is a conspiracy behind the incident.
All 31 people were convicted under the IPC sections related to murder, attempt and criminal conspiracy.
Among the innocent people, the main accused Maulana Umerji, the then president Mohammed Hussain Kalota, the then president of the Gadhar Municipality, Mohammad Ansari and Nanumiya Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh Gangapur were involved.
The Nanavati commission appointed by the Gujarat government to investigate the massacre had concluded that there was no fire accident in the S-6 coach, but it was set-up burning.