The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to eight convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. The bail application of the four other accused, however, was denied due to their involvement.
The eight prisoners were granted bail by a panel led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud on the grounds that they had served more than 17 years in prison.
These eight people were those whose life sentences had been affirmed by the Gujarat High Court order after they had been found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
The Supreme Court, on Monday rejected the request for bail of those convicts who were awarded a death sentence by the trial court. Later, it was converted to life in prison by the Gujarat High Court.
The Gujarat government reaffirmed on Monday that the convicts in the Godhra train coach-burning case had committed serious crimes. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta claimed before the apex court that the accused had bolted the train’s door from the outside.
The convicts’ lawyers countered that they had already served 17 years in prison.
Some coaches of the Sabarmati Express caught fire at the Godhra Railway Station in Gujarat, killing at least 58 persons on 27 February, 2002.
After that, massive riots broke out in Gujarat as a result of the incident. In 2011, a local court found 31 people guilty and acquitted 63 others.
The trial court gave life sentences to 20 convicts and death sentences to 11 others.