Absconding convict of Gujarat riot case nabbed in Maharashtra

Suresh alias Shehzad Netalkar, the convict, will be produced before the trial court on Friday.

"Special team formed by Special Investigation Team (SIT) has nabbed Suresh...Who was absconding for more then two months," said assistant public prosecutor Gaurang Vyas.

"A team of Crime Branch, following a tip, arrested Netalkar from Nandurbar after a dedicated search in six cities of Maharashtra," said DCP Himanshu Shukla.

Netalkar is among 32 accused including BJP MLA and former minister in Narendra Modi government Maya Kodnani who were, on August 29, convicted in the 2002 post-Godhra riots case of Naroda Patiya.

Ninety-seven people of minority community had been killed in the massacre at Naroda-Patiya during the riots.

Netalkar, who was out on bail, was absent when the judgement was pronounced, and court had issued a non-bailable warrant. He remained absent on August 31 also, when the court pronounced the sentences. So the court reserved the order on his sentence, and cancelled his bail.

When, despite the court giving two weeks' time, SIT could not trace Netalkar, special judge Jyotsana Yagnik directed the chairman of SIT, R K Raghvan, to form a special team to hunt him.