By IANS,
Ahmedabad: All the 63 people acquitted by a court in the 2002 Godhra train burning case were released from Sabarmati Central Jail here Tuesday and taken to Godhra in two buses.
The acquitted people belong to Godhra, 160 km away. The two buses were escorted by police vehicles. One bus contained all their belongings, while they sat in the other bus.
The police have been told to personally hand over the released people to their relatives, said an official.
A fast-track court here Tuesday convicted 31 people for hatching a conspiracy to burn the Sabarmati Express train in Godhra in Gujarat in 2002, killing 59 people and sparking one of the bloodiest communal riots in India. It let off 63 people, including a key accused, for lack of evidence.
Conditions imposed on 63 acquitted
But the 63 will have to furnish a personal bond of Rs.10,000 each and surety of the like amount and take prior permission of the court to leave the country.
Asked about the reasons for such conditions after acquittal, J.M. Panchal, the special public prosecutor, contended that the quantum of punishment has not been decided by the court yet and thus the verdict has not been finally given. The court may have imposed the conditions for this reason, he stated.
Defence counsel A.A. Hasan said the lawyers for the 63 have applied to the court to grant them time to furnish these bonds and the court has allowed one month’s time for the purpose.