Naroda Patiya case: Gujarat Govt. to withhold appeal for death against Kodnani, Bajrangi

The Gujarat government has asked the special prosecutor probing Naroda Patiya massacre to put on hold for now its earlier directions seeking death sentence for BJP leader Maya Kodnani and Bajrang Dal's Babu Bajrangi

The Gujarat government had earlier sanctioned an appeal seeking death for Kodnani and Bajrangi following SIT findings in the case.

The Gujarat government had faced severe criticism from the RSS for filing death appeal against the two leaders.

Last August, Kodnani and 30 others were convicted for the murder of 97 Muslims in Naroda Patiya, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, in rioting on February 28, 2002.

Kodnani and Bajrangi have been convicted under Indian Penal Code Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder).

The Naroda Patiya massacre is the largest single case of mass murder during the 2002 Gujarat riots that broke out following the Sabarmati Express train carnage near Godhra station.

The case has been probed by a Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigating Team (SIT).

Meanwhile, commenting on this, BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: "There is no u-turn, left turn or right turn. All being done according to the law.