SC to hear plea against separate hearing of Kodnani's appeal

The Supreme Court will hear on Thursday a plea questioning Gujarat High Court hearing appeal of former state minister Maya Kodnani's challenging her conviction and sentencing in Norada Patiya massacre during 2002 Gujarat riots while excluding other co-accused.

A bench of Chief Justice H.L.Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra Tuesday said that matter would be taken up on Thursday after senior counsel Harish Salve, who is also amicus curiae in the hearing of Gujarat riot cases, told the court that Special Investigating Team (SIT) has filed a report and same may be treated as an application.

The SIT headed by the former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief R.K.Raghvan had investigated the 2002 Gujarat riot cases.

In another petition by the victims of the Naroda Patiyya massacre, it has been contended that Kodnani's case could not be heard separately as the conspiracy dimensions of conviction involved other accused also.

In August 2012, a special court which had described Kodnani as "kingpin" in the Naroda Patiya massacre had convicted and sentenced her, Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi and 29 others to life imprisonment.

Sentenced to 28 years imprisonment, she was granted bail July 30, 2014 on medical grounds.

The three term legislator was made minister of state for women and child development in 2007 and had to resign after her arrest in Naroda Patiya case in March 2009.

The Naroda Patiya massacre, in which 97 people were killed, had taken place in 2002 Gujarat riots following February 27, 2002, burning of a coach of Sabarmati Express at Godhra railway station.