'SC to hear plea against dropping of POTA charges'

A petition challenging the recommendation of the Central POTA Review Committee for dropping charges under the anti-terror law against the accused in the Godhra train carnage case will be heard by the Supreme Court on March 6.

A petition challenging the recommendation of the Central POTA Review Committee for dropping charges under the anti-terror law against the accused in the Godhra train carnage case will be heard by the Supreme Court on March 6.

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A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and P Sathasivam declined a plea for an urgent hearing on the matter and said it will be heard in the routine course as the date has been fixed by the Registry.

Sardarji Maganji Waghela, who lost his son in the carnage, has filed an appeal against the order of the Gujarat High Court dismissing his petition challenging decision of the POTA Review Committee dropping POTA charges against the 134 accused in the Godhra train burning case.

Though the High Court had not interfered with the findings of the POTA Review Committee, it had allowed the victim’s father to approach the apex court within two weeks against its verdict by extending the stay on all proceedings in connection with the Godhra case.

The transfer of case from designated POTA court to sessions court was also stayed.

The Supreme Court in October last had held that the findings of the Review Committee to drop the charges under the repealed law would be binding on the government and the designated court.