Naroda Gam riots: verdict expected on Thursday on 11 Muslims' murder

Ahmedabad: Regarding the 2002 Naroda Gam communal riot case, in which eleven individuals of the Muslim community were killed, an Ahmedabad special court is expected to pronounce a verdict on Thursday, PTI reported.

The case accused 86 people, including former Gujarat minister and BJP leader Maya Kodnani and Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, who are on trial in the case. Of the 86, 18 died over the period of trial.

The court of SK Baxi, a special judge for Special Investigation Agency (SIT) cases, is scheduled to pronounce the verdict against 68 accused on April 20.

On February 28, 2002, eleven persons from the Muslim community were killed in violence in the Naroda Gam area of Ahmedabad city. The worrisome incident happened during a 'bandh' called to protest the Godhra train burning, which happened a day before killing 58 passengers, mostly karsevaks returning from Ayodhya.

The prosecution and defence examined 187 and 57 witnesses, respectively, during the trial that started in 2010 and went on for nearly 13 years with six judges successively presiding over the case, said special prosecutor Suresh Shah.

In September 2017, senior BJP leader (now Union Home Minister) Amit Shah was allowed by the court as a defence witness for Kodnani per her request. She submitted that Shah could prove her alibi that she was present in the Gujarat Assembly and later at the Sola Civil Hospital and not at Naroda Gam, where the massacre took place.

Among the evidence produced by the prosecution is the video of a sting operation carried out by journalist Ashish Khetan as well as call details of Kodnani, Bajrangi and others during the relevant period.

When the trial started, SH Vora was the presiding judge. He was elevated to the Gujarat High Court. His successors, Jyotsna Yagnik, KK Bhatt and PB Desai, retired during the trial.

Special judge MK Dave who came next, was transferred, prosecutor Shah said.

"The trial (deposition of witnesses) concluded around four years ago. Arguments of the prosecution concluded, and the defence was making its arguments when then special judge PB Desai retired. So arguments started afresh before Judge Dave and later Judge Baxi, which delayed the proceedings," he said.

The accused are facing charges under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), and 153 (provocation for riots), among others. The maximum punishment for these crimes is death.

Then minister Kodnani was sentenced to 28 years in jail in the Naroda Patiya riot case after 97 people were massacred, but the Gujarat High Court discharged her. In the case in question, she has been charged with criminal conspiracy besides rioting, murder and attempted murder.