Gujarat govt to seek death penalty for former Narendra Modi minister Maya Kodnani and Babu Bajrangi
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government has sanctioned the SIT's demand for death sentence for its former minister Maya Kodnani and nine others, including BabuBajrangi, in connection with the NarodaPatia massacre case of the post-Godhra riots in 2002.
Sources in the SIT said the state legal department ultimately granted the SIT's request to challenge the SIT court's order in the Naroda Patia case, before the Gujarat high court.
The SIT wanted the 10 convicts, who played major roles in the massacre, to be punished by hanging. The SIT court awarded severe punishments to these 10 persons - Kodnani, Bajrangi, Naresh Chhara, Morli Sindhi, Haresh Rathod, Suresh Langado, Premchand Tiwari, Manoj Sindhi and Bipin Panchal and Suresh, alias Shehzad - for their criminal conspiracy and active involvement throughout the fateful day, in the killing of 97 persons in the industrial locality in eastern Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002.
Normally, the time limit to move the HC against a lower court's order is three months, but the state government took over seven months to sanction the demand for death for its former minister. The SIT had sought the state government's permission immediately after the verdict was delivered by special judge Jyotsna Yagnik on August 31, 2012.
Besides seeking death for the 10 convicts, the SIT also got the government's nod to challenge the acquittals of seven persons of the 29 accused.
These include Umesh Bharwad, Rajkumar Chaumal, Padmendrasinh Rajput, Haresh Rohra, Navin Chhara and two sisters - Geeta and Rameela Rathod.
The SIT will also demand the enhancement of punishment for the 22 other convicts, who have been sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment. The SIT has decided to seek a minimum of 30 years in jail for them.
Sources said appeals demanding enhancement of punishment and questioning the SIT court's verdict would be filed in the HC next week. Before this, the government and SIT sought death for those convicts awarded life in jail, in the Godhra carnage and two Ode massacre cases.
Sources in the SIT said the state legal department ultimately granted the SIT's request to challenge the SIT court's order in the Naroda Patia case, before the Gujarat high court.
The SIT wanted the 10 convicts, who played major roles in the massacre, to be punished by hanging. The SIT court awarded severe punishments to these 10 persons - Kodnani, Bajrangi, Naresh Chhara, Morli Sindhi, Haresh Rathod, Suresh Langado, Premchand Tiwari, Manoj Sindhi and Bipin Panchal and Suresh, alias Shehzad - for their criminal conspiracy and active involvement throughout the fateful day, in the killing of 97 persons in the industrial locality in eastern Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002.
Besides seeking death for the 10 convicts, the SIT also got the government's nod to challenge the acquittals of seven persons of the 29 accused.
These include Umesh Bharwad, Rajkumar Chaumal, Padmendrasinh Rajput, Haresh Rohra, Navin Chhara and two sisters - Geeta and Rameela Rathod.
The SIT will also demand the enhancement of punishment for the 22 other convicts, who have been sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment. The SIT has decided to seek a minimum of 30 years in jail for them.
Sources said appeals demanding enhancement of punishment and questioning the SIT court's verdict would be filed in the HC next week. Before this, the government and SIT sought death for those convicts awarded life in jail, in the Godhra carnage and two Ode massacre cases.
Courtesy: The Times of India
