Special court in Sabarmati Jail today ordered death for 11 culprits of 2002 Godhra train carnage in which 59 innocent Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya were burnt alive in Sabarmati Express’s train coach no.s-6. The court has ordered life imprisonment(upto 20 years) for 20 other culprits.

Those awarded death are:

Bilal Ismail Abdul Majid Sujela alias Haji Bilal
Abdul Razak Mohammad Kurkur
Ramzani Binyamin Behra
Hassan Ahmed Charkha alias Lalu
Jabir Biryamin Behra
Mehboob Khalid Chanda
Salim alias Salman Yusuf Sattar Jarda
Siraz Mohammad Abhul Maida alias Bala
Irfan Abdul Majid Ghanchi Kalandar alias Irfan Bhopo
Irfan Mohammad Hanif Abdul Gani Pataliya
Mehboob Ahmed Yusuf Hassan alias Latiko

What next

Those punished by special court in Sabarmati jail will challenge the verdict in High Court within 90 days(in any case death sentence by lower court needs High Court’s confirmation). Then the matter will be possibly go to the Supreme Court by either party. If death sentence is approved there, those punished will go to the President of India. The President of India will send filed to central Home ministry, the central home ministry will send files to concerned state’s home ministry, concerned state’s Home ministry will review the case and will send the files back to central Home ministry, central Home ministry if satisfied with state’s answer will add its recommend and send the files to the President. This process is no time bound. Then we know what is most likely to happen. There are 309 prisoners in different jails of India with death penalty, but they are alive because their cases are in appeal in higher court. Then there are 31 murderers in India whose death penalty is approved even by the highest court, but their further appeal is pending with the President of India.

State government’s reaction:

VHP reacts:

Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Pravinbhai Togadia said there should be death sentence for all culprits. Death sentence to only some culprits is injustice to Hindus. Togadia said the state government should go in appeal against the special court’s decision to free 61 accused and against life imprisonment to 20 who deserve death sentence actually.

Congress reacts:

Law Minister Veerappa Moily said the Gujarat court’s judgment in the Godhra case does not justify the riots that followed the train burning incident.

Gujarat Congress refuses to react:

Gujarat Congress leaders today refused to speak anything on Godhra verdict.