Godhara train coach-burning: SC grants bail to 8 convicts, refuses to consider pleas of others
New Delhi, April 21: Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to eight convicts in the 2002 Godhra train coach-burning case while refusing to consider the bail application of other four other convicts in view of their role.
The eight convicts were granted bail by a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
These eight individuals were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, and their sentences were upheld by the trial court order.
The Supreme Court previously refused bail applications for those accused whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment by the Gujarat High Court after being sentenced to death by the trial court.
The Supreme Court noted that the trial Court's death sentence had been commuted to life imprisonment by the High Court, and the State Government had filed appeals against the High Court's order.
The trial court has sentenced death to the 11 accused. Later Gujarat HC commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment.
Earlier on Monday, Gujarat Government reiterated that the convicts of the 2002 Godhra train coach-burning case were involved in serious offences as they pelted stones and bolted the door of the train and opposed their bail plea.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that it was not a matter of stone pelting, but that the accused had bolted the door of the train from outside and then pelted stones.
The convicts' lawyers further submitted that they have served 17 years in prison.
On Monday, the Court also remarked that it is thinking of not granting bail to the ones who were given a death sentence.
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- ANI
