GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 26th Sept. The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that it will hear appeals from the Gujarat government and several convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case on January 15, 2025. A bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Rajesh Bindal stated that no adjournments will be permitted during the next hearing.
The tragic incident occurred on February 27, 2002, when the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express was set ablaze in Godhra, resulting in the deaths of 59 individuals and igniting widespread riots across Gujarat. The Supreme Court proceedings follow a 2017 Gujarat High Court verdict that upheld the convictions of several individuals while commuting the death sentences of 11 convicts to life imprisonment.
The Gujarat government has expressed its intention to seek the reinstatement of the death penalty for these 11 convicts. During Thursday’s hearing, the state’s counsel, Swati Ghildiyal, requested a postponement but was informed by the bench that the matter would proceed as scheduled. The court noted that understanding the prosecution’s case and the roles of individuals involved would be crucial to the hearing, which is expected to last at least three days.
Previously, the trial court had sentenced 11 individuals to death, with an additional 20 receiving life sentences. The high court’s ruling, which upheld 31 convictions but commuted the death sentences, is now being contested by both the state and the convicts.
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