The Gujarat High Court today pronounced its judgment on the 2002 Godhra train carnage.
Here's the timeline of the 15-year-old case.
February 27, 2002: Coach S6 of Ahmedabad-bound Sabarmati Express is burnt by a mob, 50 people are killed.
May 24, 2002: Chargesheet filed against 54, which later went up to 134 people.
Almost one year after this, Jabir Binyamin Behra, in a confession to the Gujarat Police, reveals that conspiracy was hatched at Aman Guest House in Godhra on February 26, 2002. Behra names Maulana Hussain Umarji as a key conspirator.
February 14, 2003: POTA is applied on the 134 accused in the case.
The National Human Rights Commission and human rights activists appeal to the Supreme Court against imposition of the POTA. The top court refers the matter to the Gujarat High Court.
November 2003: The Supreme Court puts a stay on the trial till POTA issue is resolved.
October 2008: POTA charges are lifted.
May 2009: The Supreme Court sets up a special court to conduct trial in the matter. The trial begins in June 2009 and ends in September 2010, but the judge reserves the judgment, waits for getting clearance from the Supreme Court. The apex court lifts the ban on pronouncement of the verdict on January 18 2011.
February 2011: The first part of judgment of conviction is announced on February 22 and quantum of punishment on February 25. The special court in its verdict concludes that it is rarest of rare case convicts 31 accused and acquits 63 others including main accused Maulana Umarji. Out of 31 convicts, 11 are awarded death penalty and rest 20 are given sentenced to life imprisonment.
April 2011: The special court's verdict is challenged by the state government and the convicts before the Gujarat High Court on April 6. The state had appealed for the confirmation of the special court order, whereas convicts had pleaded for quashing of the convictions.
March 2014: Submission on the appeal begin on March 5 2014 and is argued for over a year
May 2015: On May 5, 2015, after submission of the all parties concerned concluded, the division bench reserved the order.
October 2017: The division bench of the Gujarat High Court pronounces its verdict in the train carnage case.
