In the 2002 Godhra train burning case, the top court stated that it will dispose of the bail petitions of several convicts serving life imprisonment on April 10. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Gujarat government, that he has to verify certain factual details with regard to some convicts.
The bench, also comprising justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala, considered the submissions of the law officer and adjourned the hearing to April 10, and said it will “dispose of” the pending bail pleas of the convicts on that day.
Meanwhile, the bench extended the bail granted to one of the convicts earlier on the grounds that his wife had cancer. “His wife is battling cancer.” “My consent may be recorded,” said the law officer in support of the bail extension.
Earlier on March 17, the Supreme Court stated that it will hear the Gujarat government’s appeal as well as the bail pleas of several accused in the case on March 24.
The state government told the Supreme Court on February 20 that it will seek the death penalty for 11 convicts whose sentences in the 2002 Godhra train burning case were commuted to life imprisonment by the Gujarat High Court.
“We will be seriously pressing for award of death penalty to the convicts whose death penalties were commuted into life imprisonment (by the Gujarat High Court). This is the rarest of rare cases where 59 people, including women and children, were burnt alive,” the solicitor general had said.
“It is consistent everywhere that the bogie (coach) was locked from outside. Fifty-nine died, including ladies and children,” he had added.
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