New Delhi, 12 February 2014

The Supreme Court today said it will consider tomorrow the plea to extend the temporary bail granted to former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani, convicted in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riot case by 180 days, on medical grounds as she was in a “pitiable” condition after suffering burn injury.

“We are convinced she has suffered burn injury. She is in a pitiable condition and she needs some relief, you file an affidavit, we will take the matter tomorrow,” a bench comprising justices H L Dattu and S A Bobde told senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who said that Kodnani yesterday suffered burn injury after she fell on a lamp at a temple and has been admitted to a trauma centre.

The bench said it cannot grant any relief without hearing the state government.

Kodnani has filed the petition challenging the February 8 order of the Gujarat High Court declining to extend her three months temporary bail granted on medical grounds on November 12 last year.

The trial court had in August 2012 sentenced her to 26-year life imprisonment.