Gujarat High Court to pronounce verdict in 2002 Godhra train carnage case on Monday

The Gujarat High Court will pronounce its judgment on the 2002 Godhra train carnage on Monday.

In the horrific incident, 59 passengers were charred to death at the Godhra railway station on February 27, 2002.

The trial of the sensitive case was conducted in-camera at the Sabarmati Jail by the special designated court.

In 2011, the special court in its verdict had concluded that it is rarest of rare case had convicted 31 accused and acquitted 63 others including main accused Maulana Umarji. Out of 31 convicts, 11 were awarded death penalty and rest 20 were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The special court’s verdict was challenged by the state government and the convicts before the Gujarat High Court on April 06 2011.

The state had appealed for the confirmation of the special court order, whereas convicts had pleaded for quashing of the convictions.

The matter was listed before the division bench of justice AS Dave and justice GR Udhwani.

Submission on the appeal began on March 5 2014 and was argued for over a year. On May 5, 2015, after submission of the all parties concerned concluded, the division bench reserved the order. It is this order that will be pronounced on October 9.

Notably, on that fateful …read more