A recent SC order has allowed 87 Godhra carnage accused to directly file bail plea with the apex court; but they fear the state govt will be unsympathetic to them.
GODHRA: The Supreme Court’s order allowing 87 Godhra carnage accused to directly file bail plea with the apex court has rekindled hope among their relatives that they would be able to bring their kin home. However, scepticism and confusion prevails in this regard.
These undertrials were charged and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), but have remained behind bars even though the act was subsequently repealed.
“This was the first good thing to happen to us after a wait of five long years. Although the court has opened up a window for us, we fear that Gujarat state will object to our petitions. The government didn’t want this to happen and it will definitely confuse the case and prolong hearing, as it has been doing,” Saeed Umarjee said. He is the son of the main accused in the incident, Maulana Hussain Umarjee.
He alleged that the government would try its best to frustrate those, who are indulged in legal battle. “But we have to follow the case staunchly. Then there is a hope,” he said.
While the SC verdict has instilled some hope among the relatives of the accused, the poor among them are confused as far as the financial aspect is concerned. “We know that this might help us, but how can we manage to approach the Supreme Court when we cannot even afford to go to Ahmedabad to see our men,” said Khairunnisha Pathan, a resident of Rehmarnagar slums. Her husband Shamsherkhan has been languishing in Sabarmati jail along with his two brothers for past five years.
Her neighbour Rehana Badam feels that the legal fight is beyond her capacity. “If some organisation comes forward to help us, it is possible,” she said. However, most of the supporters are now refraining from extending financial as well as legal support to the relatives of Godhra accused.
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