Digital Desk: The Gujarat High Court modified the death sentence of 11 defendants in the 2002 Godhra train burning case to life in prison on Monday. The court, however, maintained the life sentences handed out by the special SIT court to 20 others. The court's decision was based on appeals filed by the prisoners and the prosecutor's office.
Fifty-nine kar sevaks were massacred when a carriage of the Sabarmati Express was set fire in February 2002, sparking one of the country's bloodiest communal riots.
Here's everything you need to know about the Godhra train burning case from 2002:
On the morning of February 27, 2002, a coach of the Sabarmati Express, Coach S6, was set fire, and 59 persons aboard were burnt to death. The train had just arrived at Godhra station in Gujarat. There were 27 women and 10 children among the victims. Another 48 passengers on board the train were injured.
The Gujarat government, led by then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi, established a Commission of Inquiry. The Commission was led by Justices G T Nanavati and KG Shah. According to the Commission's findings, the majority of the 59 individuals killed were kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
The Sabarmati Express had left Muzaffarpur and was on its way to Ahmedabad. At least 2,000 kar sevaks had boarded the train from Ayodhya to attend the Purnahuti Maha Yagna at the request of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The yagna was part of the Ram Temple construction project.
Within hours of the train burning event, violent riots erupted across the state. Riots erupted on the evening of February 2 and lasted for around 2-3 months across the state. In 2005, the Centre notified the Rajya Sabha that the riots had claimed the lives of 254 Hindus and 790 Muslims. A total of 223 persons have been reported missing. Tens of thousands were rendered homeless as well. The details were later published at the recommendation of the National Human Rights Commission
The Congress-led UPA administration established a second probe committee chaired by Justice UC Banerjee, who labelled the occurrence an accident in his report, which was submitted in March 2006. The report was deemed unlawful and void by the Supreme Court. Following that, the Supreme Court formed a Special Investigation Team. Justice KG Shah died in March 2008, before the commission could finish its investigation. Justice Akshay H Mehta has taken up his seat. That same year, Justice Nanavati and Justice Akshay Mehta delivered the final findings of the Nanavati-Shah Commission, which described the train burning as a plot.
Trials in the case began on June 1, 2009, more than eight years after the occurrence. On March 1, 2011, a special SIT court convicted 31 persons, 11 of whom were sentenced to death and 20 to life in prison. In addition, 63 persons were acquitted in the case by the court. The SIT court agreed with the prosecution's claims that this was not an unplanned mob riot, but rather a scheme. The 31 prisoners were found guilty under provisions of the Indian Penal Code dealing with criminal conspiracy, murder, and attempted murder.
The Gujarat government later raised questions on the acquittals, a series of appeals were filed in the Gujarat High Court challenging the convictions.
The 63 people acquitted also include the prime accused in the case Maulana Umarji, Mohammad Hussain Kalota, Mohammad Ansari and Nanumiya Chaudhary.
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