The Supreme Court has granted bail to eight people, who were awarded life imprisonment in the 2002 Godhra massacre case, in which 59 Hindu pilgrims and karsevaks returning from Ayodhya were killed due to fire inside the Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station in Gujarat.
The Bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha refused to consider the application of four others, after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta noted that he only had issue with four persons over their roles in the violence.
The SG pointed out that out of these four, an iron pipe was recovered from one of them, while a dhariya was recovered from another accused.
He explained that Dhariya was a Gujarati word for a weapon that looked like a sickle.
He said another convict was found purchasing, storing and carrying petrol, which was used for burning the coach. The last one attacked the passengers, causing them injuries, also looted them, he added.
Representing one of the petitioners, Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde requested the Apex Court to adjourn the hearing in the applications of four convicts whose bail was opposed by the SG and grant bail to others.
Noting that he was making the suggestion in view of tomorrow being a festival (Eid al-Fitr), the Senior Counsel requested the Bench to hear the bail applications of these four accused after two weeks.
Backing Hegde, Senior Advocate S Nagamuthu also appealed to the court to adjourn the bail petitions of four convicts, instead of dismissing them.
The SG opposed adjourning of bail pleas, observing the Apex Court may leave it open for them to revive these applications after a year or so.
However, the Court dismissed the petitions of four convicts on the grounds that it was not inclined to grant them bail at this stage.
The top court granted bail to eight convicts on the ground of their incarceration, which had already crossed 17 years, along with their individual role in the violence.
It further took into account the fact that the appeals filed by the eight convicts in this Court were not likely to be taken up soon.
The Bench directed the accused to be released on bail subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the sessions court.