The designated fast-track court for the 2002 Godhra train carnage case has fixed July 1 as the date to begin the trial of the case. From July 1,the court will begin examining the evidence seven years after the Supreme Court had ordered a stay on the same in 2003. On Thursday,the court framed charges against all the accused and decided to examine the prosecution evidence on July 1,2,6,7,8 and 9. The Gujarat Police had submitted 19 chargesheets in the case,in which the accused were charged under the provisions of the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA),among others. However,on Thursday,charges against all the accused were framed only under provisions of the Indian Penal Code,Prevention of Damages to Public Property Act,Indian Railways Act and Bombay Police Act. The Gujarat High Court had,in its recent order,rejected the POTA charges on all the accused of the Sabarmati Express carnage case. Meanwhile,special judge P R Patel has also fixed July 1 as the date to announce the order on the bail application of 26 accused in the case,hearing on which concluded today. One of the defence advocates in the case,A A Hasan said: All the accused have expressed happiness after the court ordered to begin the trial,as it is more than seven years since they have been lodged in the jail without the trial taking place. He added: The court has decided to call the Panch witnesses on July 1. The court has also stated that it will examine four witnesses per day. Fifty-nine people were charred to death on February 27,2002 when the S6 Coach of the Sabarmati Express was attacked at the Godhra railway station.
