The Gujarat High Court granted 10 days interim bail to one of the convicts in the 2002 Naroda Patia massacre case, Babu Patel alias Babu Bajarangi on Tuesday.
Bajarangi’ bail plea was accepted by a division bench of the High Court comprising KS Jhaveri and KJ Thaker to attend his ailing father. Bajarangi’s family moved a petition on his behalf. In the petition, temporary bail was sought for one month for him so that he could arrange for an operation to be conducted on his father.
Former Bajarang Dal leader was awarded life imprisonment till death by a special court in Ahmedabad. He was found guilty under section 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of IPC in the post-Godhra riots case. In the same case, former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani was sentenced to 28 years in jail.
Besides, 30 other convicts were also awarded life term by the special court. Few days back, Kodnani was also given three months temporary bail by the High Court on health grounds. Special court judge Jyotsna Yagnik had acquitted 29 accused in the case. Of the 64 people accused in the case, three died during trial. The remaining 61 accused were tried for murder, arson and rioting.
The incident of Naroda Patia massacre occurred after train burning at Godhara station on February 28, 2002 in which Bajarangi was one of the accused to lead the mob.