Sachinism Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 A special court in Gujarat on Wednesday convicted 31 of the 73 accused in the 2002 Sardarpura post-Godhra riot case in which 33 people of a minority community were burnt alive. The quantum of punishment is likely to be pronounced later in the day by principal District and Session Judge S C Srivastava after hearing the convicts. Out of the 42 acquitted, 11 were freed due to lack of evidence, while 31 were given the benefit of doubt and have been asked to submit a solvency bond of Rs. 25,000 each. The court has also directed them not to leave the country without its permission. This is the first post-Godhra riot case, probed by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), on which the verdict has been pronounced. The 31 convicted have been charged with murder, attempt to murder, rioting and other sections of IPC, while charges of criminal conspiracy against them were dropped by the court. After the Godhra train burning incident in which 59 people, mainly karsevaks, were burnt to death on February 27 2002, riots had taken place across the state, in which Sardarpura town in Vijapur taluka also fell prey to violence. A strong mob had surrounded a lane called ôheikh vaas on the intervening night of February 28 and March 1, 2002, where minority population of the village used to live. Fearing the worst, people of the minority community took shelter in a house owned by one Ibrahim Sheikh. However, the mob torched the house after pouring petrol, in which, 33 people, including 22 women, were charred to death. In all, 76 accused were arrested in the Sardarpura case by the police, out of which, two died during pendency of trial, while one was a juvenile, against whom, trial was on in a juvenile court. The court had framed charges against 73 accused in June 2009 and initiated trial in the case. The prosecution alleged that the attack on minority community was pre-planned and the conspiracy was hatched by some local leader, following the Godhra train burning incident. It had further submitted that weapons were distributed by the accused in the run-up to the incident, who, however claimed that they were being falsely implicated and the violence was perpetrated by people, who had come from outside. Advocate Y B Sheikh, representing the riot victims, said that over 80 witnesses, who were also victims of the violence, had named the accused while giving statement to the police and also correctly identified accused in court during trial. While the trial was on, 112 witnesses were examined, out of the 157 named in the charge sheet. These include 20 doctors, 17 inquest witnesses, 40 riot victims, 20 police and 15 others. Keywords: Godhra carnage, post-Godhra riots, Sardarpura massacre case, 2002 Gujarat riots case, SIT, Narendra Modi government http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2611534.ece
ravishingravi Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 Wait! Aren't the courts in Gujarat supposed to be influenced by the govt ? What 1983-2011's take on this ?
CSK Fan Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 Wait! Aren't the courts in Gujarat supposed to be influenced by the govt ? What 1983-2011's take on this ? So how many of the big fish got caught? These are just the fall guys. Just the other day one of the prime witness in the riots was killed in broad daylight.
mishra Posted November 10, 2011 Posted November 10, 2011 Actually no SECULAR news paper should report this news.....
seedhi Posted November 10, 2011 Posted November 10, 2011 So how many of the big fish got caught? These are just the fall guys.The courts are there to decide the cases that are being prosecuted (not imaginary ones), the fact that they are handing out convictions in Gujarat belies the propaganda that court trials have to be held outside Gujarat to get justice. Just the other day one of the prime witness in the riots was killed in broad daylight.He was also a police informant against illegal cow slaughter.
ravishingravi Posted November 11, 2011 Posted November 11, 2011 So how many of the big fish got caught? These are just the fall guys. Just the other day one of the prime witness in the riots was killed in broad daylight. Not really saying you are wrong. But I also don't have anything concrete to say you are right. I am happy to say I dont know. Btw just the other day, one of the witness against IPS officer escaped custody. So, was he also a fall guy ?
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