Supreme Court refuses to grant bail to three convicts in 2002 Godhra train burning case

August 15, 2023

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the bail pleas of three convicts, serving life terms in the 2002 Godhra train burning case, in which 59 Hindu devotees, including kids and women, were burnt alive by a Muslim mob.

“The incident is also a very serious incident. It is not a question of an isolated person being murdered,” a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud observed, adding that specific roles have been attributed to these convicts.

Saukat Yusuf Ismail Mohan, Siddik Abdullah Badam Shaikh, and Bilal Abdullah Ismail Badam Ghanchi are the three convicts who had moved the apex court.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the convicts, told the top court that the three were awarded life terms by the trial court and, while one of them is in custody for over 17 years and six months, another is in jail for 20 years.

“Having regard to the specific role which is attributed to the appellants, at this stage, we are not inclined to enlarge the appellants on bail,” the bench said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Gujarat government, referred to the findings of the trial court and said one of them was among the main conspirators who instigated a mob that was carrying deadly weapons.

“All these three have active roles,” the top court observed.

The High Court had upheld the life term awarded to the three convicts by the trial court and their appeals are pending before the top court.

On April 21, the apex court had granted bail to eight people sentenced to life imprisonment in the case. The convicts who were granted bail in April were – Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla, Yunus Abdul Hakk Samol, Mohammad Hanif Abdulla Moulvi Badam, Abdul Rauf Abdul Majid Isa, Ibrahim Abdulrazak Abdul Sattar Samol, Ayub Abdul Gani Ismail Pataliya, Soheb Yusuf Ahmed Kalandar, and Suleman Ahmad Hussain

The top court, however, had refused to grant bail to four convicts -Anwar Mohammad Mehda, Saukat Abdulla Moulvi Ismail Badam, Mehboob Yakub Mitha, and Siddik Mohammad Mora.

On February 27, 2002, 59 Hindu devotees including women and children, were burnt alive by a Muslim mob in Godhra.

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