SC To Hear Pleas In Godhra Train Burning Case On May 6,7

The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will commence final hearing on May 6 and 7 on the appeals filed by the Gujarat government and several other convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Rajesh Bindal asked senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for one of the convicts, to file a revised compilation of his submissions containing “heading-wise” details on charges against the convict, the findings of the courts below and his arguments supported by materials on record to counter them by May 3.

The top court also asked the counsel, appearing for other convicts and the Gujarat government which has filed a counter appeal, to file revised preliminary compilation on similar lines.

“Hearing of this matter would require at least two weeks. First, we will take it up on May 6 and 7 for the whole day and no other cases will be taken on these dates unless specifically asked by this court,” Justice Maheshwari said in the order.

The bench asked the registry to take orders, if necessary, from the Chief Justice of India to this effect.

On February 27, 2002, 59 people were killed when the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express was burnt at Gujarat's Godhra, triggering riots in the state.

Several appeals have been filed in the apex court challenging the October 2017 verdict of the Gujarat High Court which had upheld the conviction of several convicts and commuted the death penalties of 11 people to life term.

The Gujarat government had in February 2023 told the apex court that it will be seeking death penalty for the 11 convicts whose sentences in the case were commuted to life imprisonment by the high court.

During the hearing before the apex court earlier, the state's counsel said the 11 convicts were sentenced to death by the trial court and 20 others were awarded life term in the case.

The high court had upheld the 31 convictions in the case and commuted the death penalties of the 11 convicts to life term, the counsel had said.

While the state has appealed against the commutation of death penalty to life term for the 11 convicts, several convicts have challenged the high court's verdict upholding their convictions in the case.