NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday the bail pleas of several convicts serving life imprisonment in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala is scheduled to hear along with the bail applications a batch of pleas of the convicts challenging their convictions. On March 24, the SC had said it will dispose of the bail applications of the convicts on the next date of hearing.
It had taken note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Gujarat government, that he has to verify certain factual details with regard to some convicts. The SC had extended the bail granted to one of the convicts on the ground that his wife was suffering from cancer. Mehta supported the extension of bail on medical grounds.
On March 17, the SC had said it will hear on March 24 the appeal of the Gujarat government and the bail pleas of accused in the case. On February 20, the state had told the SC that it will be seeking death penalty to 11 convicts whose sentences in the Godhra case were commuted to life imprisonment by the Gujarat HC.