Gujrat government appealed against the court order in Godhra case

GANDHINAGAR: Government of Gujrat has appealed against a trial court order and has sought death penalty to 20 people who were given life term in the Godhra train carnage case of 2002.

J.M. Panchal special public prosecutor in the case said on Saturday, “We have filed an appeal before the high court seeking death penalty for 20 accused who are serving the life term. And we’ve also sought maximum punishment against those who have been released by the trial court.”

The trial court on Feb 22 this year had also awarded death sentence to 11 people in the case and acquitted others.

Panchal claimed that the government has enough evidence against those acquitted who committed the heinous crime.

Fiftynine people were killed in the burning of two coaches of Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station on Feb 27, 2002. The incident triggered the bloodiest riots in the state that claimed more than 1,000 lives.

Judge P.R. Patel, who handled the case, had convicted 31 people out of 94 accused and released the rest for want of evidence.

Panchal said the matter will now be placed before the appropriate bench and may come up for hearing soon.