Supreme Court to Commence Final Hearing on Appeals in 2002 Godhra Train Burning Case

The Supreme Court has announced that it will commence final hearings on May 6 and 7 for the appeals filed by the Gujarat government and several other convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. The bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Rajesh Bindal directed senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, representing one of the convicts, to submit a revised compilation of his submissions by May 3. The top court also instructed counsel for other convicts and the Gujarat government to file revised preliminary compilations on similar lines.

During the hearings, the state's counsel revealed that 59 people were killed in the incident, which led to riots in the state. The Gujarat government had earlier expressed its intent to seek death penalty for 11 convicts whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment by the High Court. The case has seen multiple appeals challenging the convictions and sentencing of the accused.