Chargesheet filed against 101 Godhra accused

Contrary to initial theories of terrorist or ISI hand — which many BJP leaders had propagated — the chargesheet hints at a local conspiracy behind the train attack. Former municipality chief Mohammad Kalota and member Haji Bilal have been named the main accused.

ADGP (CID-Crime) A.K. Bhargav said: ‘‘These are interim chargesheets; investigations are still under way. As the deadline of 90 days was about to get over, we filed the chargesheets.’’

According to Special Public Prosecutor J.M. Panchal, 57 of the accused in the main case have been arrested though 44 others are absconding. All 11 accused in the attack on policemen have been arrested and booked for criminal conspiracy to kill, murder, arson and rioting, Panchal said.

According to the chargesheet, the accused attacked S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express on February 27 morning with prior knowledge and planning and with the intention to kill. It says the manner in which the coach was attacked and set ablaze could not be done at short notice; the accused had made prior preparations.

The attack on policemen at the railway station after the coach was set on fire intended to harm them and get the accused freed from police custody. The police had opened fire, killing two.

An investigating police officer said the chargesheet provides circumstantial and forensic evidence to support the charge of conspiracy. He said the use of over 100 litres of ‘‘petrol-like inflammable liquid’’ to burn the coach and the presence of a 2,000-strong mob early in the morning point to a conspiracy. According to him, the conspiracy was hatched to ‘‘give a reply’’ to the alleged harassment of Muslims by kar sevaks at the station and on the train.

The investigators recorded statements of the accused — many of whom confessed their involvement in the crime — and of about 200 witnesses, who included survivors, he said.

Apart from Panchal, three more lawyers — S.G. Thakur, J.G. Pathak and Bhaskar Trivedi — have been appointed to assist the prosecution in the case.

1 main accused granted bail

AHMEDABAD: Before the chargesheets were filed, one of the accused in the main case, Anwar Rashid Abdul Rashid Ansari, was granted bail by the Railway Court at Godhra on Tuesday. Ansari was set free on a personal surety of Rs 25,000 after the investigating agency failed to prove his prima facie involvement, Special Public Prosecutor J.M. Panchal said.

Ansari was arrested from his UP village after a statement by Hasib Raza, who was caught at the Howrah railway station in a case under the Explosives Act and lodged in Kanpur jail. Raza said that Ansari had on February 27 called his (Raza’s) sister and told her that ‘‘a happy incident’’ had occurred at Godhra, and she should read the next day’s newspaper.

When Raza’s sister asked for the details, Ansari said a train had been burnt in Godhra, Raza said in his statement to the police. Based on this, the police arrested Ansari on April 11 but failed to find any evidence of his involvement. He was an active SIMI member. When Ansari’s bail application came up for hearing, Panchal said as there was no evidence to connect the accused to the incident, he could be granted bail, but on strict conditions.

70,000 have gone home, claims Modi

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat CM Narendra Modi said on Thursday that about 70,000 people in relief camps have left for their homes after riots abated. Modi was speaking at a seminar here. He said Rs 32 lakh was being spent on an average daily on relief camps. The monetary assistance for household kits to violence-hit families has been revised to Rs 2,500 from Rs 1,250, an official release said. According to Modi, all those who suffered, including trade and industry, would be provided economic support without discrimination.
(PTI)