Gulberg verdict: Won't give up struggle, says Setalwad

Activist Teesta Setalvad on Thursday expressed her surprise over the court dropping charges of criminal conspiracy against 24 convicts in the Gulberg Society massacre case, saying the witnesses accounts and documentary evidence suggest wider conspiracy.

"I have been told that the conspiracy hasn't been accepted, which is very strange because we believe there are enough evidences that were laid, the eye witnesses accounts and the documentary evidence suggest wider conspiracy," Setalvad told ANI.

Citing the Naroda Pattaya case judgment of August 29, 2012, Setalwad said Maya Kodnani, a former minister, was convicted and the judge held that there was a wider conspiracy in the case.

"Naroda Pattaya is just two kilometers from Gulbarg Society, so it is very strange that there is a political conspiracy and here it is not, but that is how our struggle goes on," she added.

Setalwad also said they have a legal right to appeal in higher court, adding they have two more levels, the High Court and Supreme Court, to go.

"We are also disappointed that the sitting corporate against whom we believe there was strong evidences has also been acquitted," she said.

The activist also said the case is not about the individual, but about a wider message.

"We do believe that incidences that took place in Gujarat were part of some carefully thought conspiracy and there are evidences in this regard.

We are not about to give up the struggle right now," she added.

A special SIT court in, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, earlier in the day convicted 24 of the 66 accused in the 2002 post-Godhra Gulberg society riots case, which left 69 people including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri dead.

Special Court Judge P.B. Desai also acquitted 36 others, including sitting BJP corporator Bipin Patel, and also dropped the conspiracy charge against all accused.

The court said there is no evidence of criminal conspiracy in the case, while dropping Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Out of the 66 accused, six had died during the trial. Of the 24 convicted today, 11 have been charged with murder, while 13 others have been convicted for lesser offences.

The 24 convicted includes VHP leader Atul Vaidya. The quantum of punishment for those convicted in the case will be delivered on June 6.