The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on the 2002 Godhra train carnage case for February 13. A bench led by Justice JK Maheshwari clarified that no further adjournments would be granted in the case. The incident involved the burning of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express, killing 58 karsevaks returning from Ayodhya.
Case Timeline
- 2011: A trial court convicted 31 individuals, sentencing 11 to death and 20 to life imprisonment.
- 2017: The Gujarat High Court commuted the death penalty of 11 convicts to life imprisonment and upheld the life sentences of the remaining 20.
- 2024: The Gujarat government appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking reinstatement of the death penalty for the 11 convicts, while several convicts challenged the High Court’s verdict.
Background
The Godhra train carnage triggered widespread communal riots across Gujarat, making it one of the most sensitive cases in Indian history.
