Godhra train burning convicts ineligible for early release: Gujarat govt tells SC

The Gujarat government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it would press for death penalty to Godhra convicts. It argued that the Godhra case was not just a case of stone pelting but a rarest of rare cases where the convicts bolted a train coach and set fire to it causing the burning alive of tens of passengers.

New Delhi : The Gujarat government on Monday told the Supreme Court on Monday that it would not be possible to prematurely release the convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case as it was a matter of policy. It also clarified on its commitment to press for capital punishment to the 11 convicts despite the state High Court commuting their earlier sentences to life.

During a hearing on the bail applications of the convicts, the SC was told that the Godhra case convicts were ineligible for premature release under the State policy as they faced charges under TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act). The bail pleas came up before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice P S Narasimha and Justice J B Pardiwala on Monday.

Appearing on behalf of the Gujarat government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that this (Godhra case) is the rarest of rare cases where the train bogey was locked from outside and 59 people including ladies and children were burnt alive. He told the bench that the State government will press for award of death penalty to the convicts considering the severity of the crime.

In the train burning tragedy that took place on February 27, 2002, 59 people perished after getting trapped in the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express in Gujarat's Godhra. Several convicts have filed pleas against the sentences and the court has given bail to two convicts till now. Last month, the apex court issued notice to the Gujarat government on the bail pleas of some convicts who were sentenced to life.

The Gujarat government argued in the court that the Godhra case was not just a case of stone pelting but a rarest of rare cases where the convicts bolted a train coach and set fire to it causing the burning alive of tens of passengers.