Ahmedabad : A two-member Gujarat High Court bench on Wednesday recused itself from hearing appeals in Naroda Patiya case of 2002 riots, with the judges saying that some of the accused tried to approach them.
Justices M R Shah and K S Jhaveri ordered, “Not before me”, withdrawing themselves from hearing appeals of around 29 convicts including former state minister Mayaben Kodnani and former Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Babu Bajrangi, who have challenged their conviction by a special trial court.
The case is related to killing of 97 people mostly belonging to the minority community during the post-Godhra riots. While recusing themselves, both the judges said that some of the accused tried to approach them.
In this case, cross appeals have also been filed by the convicts, survivors and the prosecution agency-Special Investigation Team (SIT) either to enhance or to challenge the punishment conferred by the special trial court.
