New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed for two months the proceedings on appeals filed by the convicts in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riots case before the Gujarat High Court, which gave priority for expeditious hearing to former minister Maya Kodnani (in pic) over others challenging her life term.
“There will be an interim stay on proceedings in the High Court on the appeals for two months,” a bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices M B Lokur and M Y Iqbal said.
“All the appeals should be heard together,” the bench observed while expressing concern that Kodnani’s appeal was being expeditiously heard and that of her personal assistant kept aside when both of them faced the charge of conspiracy.
“The High Court should know that the accused (Kodnani) faces the allegation of conspiracy and the other accused in the case is her PA. The appeal of the PA is said to be kept aside. How can the appeal of the PA be kept aside?” the bench observed, while noting that there were 11 appeals in the High Court.
Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the state government, agreed that both the appeals could be heard together.
The ASG said it was through newspaper reports that he came to know about the matter.
