New Delhi (Agency): The Supreme Court of India is set to hear the bail pleas of certain convicts who were accused of specific roles in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. This incident sparked communal tensions in Gujarat, leading to widespread riots. The bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandcrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, has scheduled the hearing for August 1.
The court has categorized the cases into four groups. The first group includes those whose death penalties were commuted to life imprisonment by the high court. The second group consists of convicts deemed to have played a specific part in the crime, and the court has ruled against granting bail to them. The third category includes individuals with a peripheral presence during the incident and were part of the mob. The fourth group pertains to elderly convicts facing difficulties, such as health problems.
The bench requested Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, to provide a chart of the cases to senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, who represents the convicts. The court plans to examine the cases and consider bail pleas based on the provided information.
Previously, the top court granted bail to eight convicts who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the Godhra train burning case. However, the court refused to grant bail to four other convicts after the Solicitor General opposed their applications, citing their significant roles in the incident.
The Godhra train burning incident occurred on February 27, 2002, when the S-6 coach of a train was set on fire in Gujarat’s Godhra, resulting in the death of 59 people. This tragic event led to widespread riots across the state. The Gujarat High Court had previously commuted the death sentences of 11 convicts to life imprisonment, while upholding the life sentences of 20 others in its October 2017 judgment.
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear the bail pleas, it will be closely scrutinizing the roles of each convict involved in this sensitive and tragic case.
