New Delhi, Jan 28 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to 17 convicts on certain terms and conditions in Sardarpura post-Godhra riot case, in which 33 Muslims were burnt alive.
In 2002, a mob surrounded Sheikh Vaas lane in Sardarpura village where people of the minority community resided. They took shelter in the house of Ibrahim Sheikh, which the mob set on fire. A total of 33 people, including 22 women, were charred to death.
The violence came a day after the February 27 Godhra train carnage in which 59 'kar sevaks' returning from Ayodhya, were burnt alive in a coach of the Sabarmati Express.
'We grant bail to these convicts and ask them to follow certain conditions," ruled a bench of Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant.
Directing the 17 convicts, to carry out spiritual and social work during bail, Apex Court also put certain restrictions, and barred them from entering Gujarat.
All the convicts had filed appeals before the Supreme Court.
Gujarat High Court had acquitted 14 but convicted 17 and awarded them life sentence in the casee.
The top court directed all the 17 to move to Madhya Pradesh and do social service in Indore and Jabalpur . "They will be stationed in Indore and Jabalpur till their appeals are finally decided by the Supreme Court," it ruled.
UNI XC RP1808