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HC grants bail to four accused in Godhra case
Ahmedabad, July 04: In a significant judgement, the Gujarat High Court today granted bail to four persons accused in the Godhra train carnage. However, the court refused to grant bail to two other accused.
Ahmedabad, July 04: In a significant judgement, the Gujarat High Court today granted bail to four persons accused in the Godhra train carnage. However, the court refused to grant bail to two other accused.
Justice C K Buch granted bail to Mohammed Hussain Kalota, Siraj Jamsa, Salim Sheikh and Mohd Geteli even as he stayed their release from judicial custody for "four weeks" after government pleader requested that the state government needed time to approach the Supreme Court.
While Kalota is the former president of Godhra municipality, Sheikh serves as a collection clerk at Transport Credit Society there, sources at Godhra said.
"The court also granted a certificate under the Article 134(A) read with Article 134 (1)(A) of Constitution that it was an important case fit to be examined by the Supreme Court," advocate P M Thakkar, appearing on behalf of the accused, said.
Thakkar also contended that the investigating officials had "no evidence" against the accused and out of nearly 150 witnesses examined so far, only one has named them.
He pointed out that despite the invoking of Pota on them, no chargesheet has been filed under the anti-terror law and they have been languishing in jail since one and half year. Fifty-nine "Ram sevaks" were charred to death when a mob torched the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express near the Godhra railway station on February 27, 2002 triggering widespread communal riots across Gujarat.
Earlier, the high court had released on bail two accused -- Abdul Rahim Dhantia and Abid Kareem Sheikh, before the state government had invoked Pota on them in March. Bureau Report
While Kalota is the former president of Godhra municipality, Sheikh serves as a collection clerk at Transport Credit Society there, sources at Godhra said.
"The court also granted a certificate under the Article 134(A) read with Article 134 (1)(A) of Constitution that it was an important case fit to be examined by the Supreme Court," advocate P M Thakkar, appearing on behalf of the accused, said.
Thakkar also contended that the investigating officials had "no evidence" against the accused and out of nearly 150 witnesses examined so far, only one has named them.
He pointed out that despite the invoking of Pota on them, no chargesheet has been filed under the anti-terror law and they have been languishing in jail since one and half year. Fifty-nine "Ram sevaks" were charred to death when a mob torched the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express near the Godhra railway station on February 27, 2002 triggering widespread communal riots across Gujarat.
Earlier, the high court had released on bail two accused -- Abdul Rahim Dhantia and Abid Kareem Sheikh, before the state government had invoked Pota on them in March. Bureau Report