Naroda Patiya case: Ex-Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani among 32 convicted

Ahmedabad: A special court in Ahmedabad on Wednesday convicted 32 people, including a former BJP minister Maya Kodnani andBajrang DalleaderBabu Bajrangi, in the Naroda Patiya case, the biggest massacre of the post-Godhra riots.

The special trial court will pronounce the quantum of punishment for 32 convicts in the 2002 post-Godhra riots case on August 31, PTI reported. The prosecution has demanded death sentence for all the accused convicted in the Naroda Patiya case.

After hearing all the sides, special court judge Jyotsna Yagnik reserved the order on quantum of punishment for August 31, a lawyer said.

The cases were filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including of murder and conspiracy. The maximum punishment is death, said a lawyer.

The court acquitted 29 people.

On February 28, 2002, 97 persons were killed in Naroda. As many as 94 bodies were found, of which 84 were identified. Three people are still missing.

The court had earlier kept the judgment for pronouncement on June 30, but was deferred till August 29.

The city crime branch nabbed 47 people and filed four chargesheets, but after the Supreme Court transferred the investigation to the special investigation team (SIT), 24 other accused were arrested including Kodnani.

In all, eight chargesheets were filed in this case. The trial began in 2009 and lasted for more than two years.

Special prosecutors Akhil Desai and Gaurang Vyas examined 327 witnesses and in all more than 500 documentary evidences were produced before the court. Those who deposed before the court were 173 relatives of victims who were eyewitnesses, 41 panch witnesses, 17 officials, 42 doctors, 44 cops, oneforensic experts and nine others.

Former Gujarat minister Kodnani and Bajrangi have been convicted under sections 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, amongst others.

The special public prosecutor sought capital punishment for the convicts, during the hearing for quantum of punishment.

Desai argued that as this court has upheld the aspect of murder and criminal conspiracy, this is a fit case to be termed as "rarest of rare" and court should award capital punishment to the convicts.

If the court wants to be lenient then at least it should award minimum of 20 years of imprisonment to each of the convicts, he argued.

Opposing his contention, defense advocate Niranjan Tikani appealed to the court to show leniency towards the convicts, keeping in mind their family background and financial condition.

Tikani also opposed the demand of capital punishment for Kodnani and submitted that her husband has been operated upon recently and is not keeping good health, while her son is studying in the US, so the court should consider this aspect as well.

source: TOI