Seven years on, trial begins in a post-Godhra riot case

Trial in the Gulburg Society riot case of 2002 began in the special court today with framing of charges against the accused in the incident, in which 69 persons including ex-MP Eshan Jaffery was killed.

Trial in the Gulburg Society riot case of 2002 began in the special court on Tuesday with framing of charges against the accused in the incident, in which 69 persons including ex-MP Eshan Jaffery was killed.

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Designated Judge BU Joshi on Tuesday framed charges against 62 of the 63 accused and directed the investigating officer to submit the original document of the case in the court by August 20, date for next hearing.

Charges were not framed against one of the accused,suspended Deputy SP KG Erda, who was posted at Meghaninagar
police station, under which the Gulburg Society falls, as an inspector during the 2002 post-Godhra riots. Erda could not be produced in court due to health-related problems.

Prime accused in the case include VHP leader Atul Vaidya, BJP leaders Pradeep Parmar, ex-municipal councillor Chunilal Prajapati and sitting councillor Bipin Patel. All are arrested.

All the accused have been charged for criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, promoting enmity
between different groups on grounds of religion, causing disappearance of evidence, rioting, decoity under various
sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Following the Godhra train burning incident, riots broke out in the city and in one such incident in Gulburg Society, 69 people, including Congress ex-MP Ehsan Jaffery, were killed on February 28, 2002.