Ahmedabad: Trial in the Gulburg Society riot
case of 2002 began in the special court here today with
framing of charges against the accused in the incident, in
which 69 persons including ex-MP Eshan Jaffery was killed.
Designated Judge B U Joshi today framed charges against
62 of the 63 accused and directed the investigating officer to
submit the original document of the case in the court by
August 20, date for next hearing.
Charges were not framed against one of the accused,
suspended Deputy SP K G Erda, who was posted at Meghaninagar
police station, under which the Gulburg Society falls, as an
inspector during the 2002 post-Godhra riots. Erda could not be
produced in court due to health-related problems.
Prime accused in the case include VHP leader Atul Vaidya,
BJP leaders Pradeep Parmar, ex-municipal councillor Chunilal
Prajapati and sitting councillor Bipin Patel. All are
arrested.
All the accused have been charged for criminal
conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, promoting enmity
between different groups on grounds of religion, causing
disappearance of evidence, rioting, decoity under various
sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Following the Godhra train burning incident, riots broke
out in the city and in one such incident in Gulburg Society,
69 people, including Congress ex-MP Ehsan Jaffery, were killed
on February 28, 2002.
Bureau Report
