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8 convicts who had burned Sabarmati Express’ coaches in 2002 granted bail by the Supreme Court

  • The 2002 Gujarat riots case
  • Bail granted to prisoners on death row !

New Delhi  – The 2002 Gujarat riots started when the coaches of the Sabarmati Express were set on fire and Kar sevaks were burnt alive. Eight of the fanatical Muslims who were guilty in this case have been granted bail by the Supreme Court. Some of them were serving life imprisonment, while others were sentenced to death. These convicts have served sentences ranging from 17 to 20 years. The Supreme Court had rejected the pleas of 4 convicts.

1. In March 2011, the Sessions Court sentenced 11 of the convicts to death and 20 to life imprisonment in the Gujarat riots case. 63 of the accused were acquitted.

2. The death sentence was challenged and a plea was filed against this in the Gujarat High Court. In 2017, the High Court commuted the death sentence of 11 prisoners to life imprisonment. Hence, the number of prisoners serving life imprisonment increased to 31.  In 2018, a petition was filed seeking bail for the convicts serving life imprisonment and the Supreme Court passed the judgement and granted them bail.

Criteria for bail

The Court granted them bail because prisoners serving life sentences and having completed more than 17 years behind bars with good behaviour were eligible for it.  Also because there were no possibilities for an early hearing of further petitions filed about this case. However, certain conditions have been imposed while granting bail.

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