Gulberg Society Case: Hearing on quantum of punishment adjourned till June 9

Ahmedabad

The hearing on the quantum of punishment to the 24 convicts of the Gulberg Society massacre which had seen the killing of 69 people including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri here on February 28, 2002 a day after burning of a coach of Sabarmati express in Godhra, will now take place on June 9.

The prosecution today sought capital punishment for those convicted under charges of murder terming the incident rarest of rare and a cold blooded act. The defense on the other hand requested the court to show leniency on the ground that the convicts were not professional criminals and were provoked by the firing by former MP Jafri.

Special Judge P B Desai had held 24 of the total 66 accused guilty on June 2 while acquitted the remaining 36. Six had died during the trial. The court had fixed June 6 i e today for the detailed hearing on the quantum of punishment. Of the 24 convicts 11 are held guilty under various charges including that of murder while one is guilty of attempt to murder and remaining 12 including VHP leader Atul Vaidya are guilty under lesser charges like rioting and unlawful assembling.

SIT counsel R C Kodekar during the argument today demanded appropriated strict terms for the convicts. Terming it a cold blooded act he requested the court to term it as the rarest of rare and give capital punishment to those convicted for the act of murder. Advocate of survivors and victims S M Vora also sought strict terms for the convicts and compensation for the victims. One of the defense counsel on the other hand requested the court to show leniency saying that those convicted were not professional criminals and they reacted to the provocation of Late Mr. Jafri who had opened fire on the mob allegedly killing one and injurering many. A case in this regard against Mr. Jafri was also lodged.

The hearing on the point of quantum of punishment continued today and the court adjourned the hearing till June 9

Notably the court has dropped the charges of criminal conspiracy under section 120 B in the case.

The Gulberg Society case, which took place in Meghaninagar area of the city. is one of the nine cases of the 2002 Gujarat riots probed by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT.

The incident had taken place a day after S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express was burnt near Godhra train station on February 27, 2002 during which 58 ‘karsevaks’ were killed.

Convicted:

Accused of Murder (11)

Kailash Lalchand Dhobi (not present), Yogendrasinh alias Lalo Mohansinh Shekhawat, Jayeshkumar alias Gabbar Madanlal Jinger, Krishnakumar alias Krishna Jayeshkumar Ramjibhai Parmar, Raju alias Mamo Ramavtar Tiwary, Naran Sitaram Tank, Lakhansingh alias Lakhiyo Chudasama, Bharat alias Bharat Taili, Bharat Laxmansinh Goud, Dinesh Prbhudas Sharma,

Attempt to Murder (1)

Mangilal Dhupchand Jain

Others under minor charges like rioting, unlawful assembling (12)

Dilip alias Kalu Chaturbhai Parmar, Sandip alias Sonu Mehra, Mukesh Pukhraj Sankhla, Ambesh Kantilal Jinger, Prakash alias Kali Khengarji Padhiyar, Manish Prabhulal Jain, Dharmesh Prahladbhai Shukla, Kapil Devnarayan alias Munnabhai Mishra, Suresh alias Kali Dahyabhai Dhobi, Atul Indravadan Vaidya (VHP leader), Babu Hastimal Marwadi, Surendrasinh alias Vakil Digvijaysinh Chauhan.