6 of 15 post-Godhra riot convicts reach Indore after SC order

A group of six out of 15 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in a 2002 post-Godhra riot case in Gujarat reached Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Monday after being released on bail by the Supreme Court.

These 15 convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment for a massacre in Ode town in Gujarat's Anand district in which 23 people were burnt alive.

The apex court had granted bail to the 15 on January 28 this year on the condition that they stay outside Gujarat and do community service for six hours a week in Indore and Jabalpur in MP.

Vijay Patel (51), Suryakant Patel (50), Dharmesh Patel (41), Jayendra Kumar Patel (64), Dilip Patel (65) and Praveen Patel (61) have reached Indore as per the SC order after completing bail formalities in the trial court in Gujarat, Indore District Legal Assistance Officer Subhash Chaudhary told PTI.

The Supreme Court had also asked the District Legal Services Authority to help these convicts in getting proper employment.

"These convicts have expressed their desire to take farm land on rent in Indore. We are initiating necessary steps to help them in this direction, so that they can earn their livelihood while staying in the city," Chaudhary said.

He added that a plan was being made to send these convicts to temples, gurdwaras and hospitals of the city for community service.

On January 28, the Supreme Court had ordered to split the 15 convicts into two groups, sending one to Indore and the other to Jabalpur, and ordered them to regularly report to police stations in these cities.