Naroda Patia case: Court rejects bail plea of accused

Special court judge Jytosnaben Yagnik designated to try the Naroda Patia case rejected a bail application of one of the accused Janak Marathi in the Naroda Patia massacre case. The bail was rejected on the grounds that the Gujarat high court had rejected such an application of one of the co-accused in the case earlier.

In his application Marathi had said that he be granted regular bail as he was innocent and he had no connection with the incident. His counsel had also contended before the court that he is not directly or indirectly involved in the offence. He had also contended that there is no prima facie case against the accused and that the case has not been committed to the sessions court yet.

According to the case details, Marathi had filed for anticipatory bail in the sessions court but had withdrawn it. He again applied for regular bail before the court which was rejected in May this year after which a fresh application was moved in the special court.
The SIT however, contended that the accused had not filed an application seeking bail before the court and the order passed by the predecessor court had gained finality.

Public prosecutors Gaurang Vyas and Akhilesh Desai appeared in court. The special court, however, rejected the application and observed that the Gujarat HC had disposed off bail applications of one of the co-accused in case on the grounds that the present case could not be compared with an ordinary case and that "it is a case of wanton, mass carnage, unparalleled, in modern society".