 "Family member wave to the Gulbarg Society massacre case convicts as they are taken away in van, after the verdict on the case by a special SIT court in Ahmedabad")
A special SIT court on Friday handed down life imprisonment for 11 convicted in the Gulbarg case murders during the 2002 Gujarat riots. It also ordered 12 others to be jailed for 7 years, while one other convicted of the violence was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
Earlier this month, the court had convicted 24 people in the Gulbarg Society massacre case, of which 11 were convicted for murder. However, 36 others were acquitted.
The quantum of punishment was met with opposition from both sides.
Zakia Jafri, the widow of Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was among those killed by the mob, said "After so many people died, that's all the court could decide? just 12 guilty? I will have to fight this."
"I am not satisfied, I am not happy. I will have to consult my lawyers again, this is not justice," she was quoted as saying.
"I am not satisfied, I am not happy. I will have to consult my lawyers again, this is not justice," she was quoted as saying.
"They brutally killd Ehsan Jafri, this is quantum of sentence? They should have all got life imprisonment. This case is not over for me today, we are right where we started," she said.
Meanwhile, relatives of those convicted were quoted as saying they would approach higher courts. "We will appeal in higher courts. Our relatives are innocent," news wire ANI reported.
Teesta Setalvad, who has been fighting on behalf of some of the victims' families, said "We welcome the verdict but we are disappointed, on the lesser sentence."
Setalvad, whose NGO Sabrang was yesterday barred from receiving foreign donations for violation of forex rules, said she appeal against the lesser sentence for those who haven't been awarded life imprisonment:
Meanwhile, relatives of those convicted were quoted as saying they would approach higher courts. "We will appeal in higher courts. Our relatives are innocent," news wire ANI reported.
Teesta Setalvad, who has been fighting on behalf of some of the victims' families, said "We welcome the verdict but we are disappointed, on the lesser sentence."
Setalvad, whose NGO Sabrang was yesterday barred from receiving foreign donations for violation of forex rules, said she appeal against the lesser sentence for those who haven't been awarded life imprisonment:
Public prosecutor RC Kodekar told ANI that the court described the 2002 incident as the "darkest day in civil society".
During the hearing, the defence had argued that eight witnesses have not been able to recognise the convicts and on this basis, minimum punishment should be given.
Defence lawyer Abhay Bhardawaj had said that the accused should be given a chance to reform as they don't have past criminal records.
