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The Supreme Court of India announced on October 21, 2008 that all 131 accused in the Godhra train carnage case will not be prosecuted under anti-terror law Pota. All accused people were imposed with terror charges by the Pota court. The Apex court has asked the court to remove all these charges. In stead, the accused will be tried under provisions of the IPC, stated SC. The recent move by Supreme Court is made on the basis of the May 16, 2005 findings of the Central Pota Review Committee.
The Review Committee's finding claimed that the offense against the accused of Godhra train burning cannot be construed under the anti-terror law. A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan stated that since the Central Pota Review Committee found no evidence against the accused, it is essential that they should not be tried under Pota. The Godhra train carnage in which 59 kar sevaks were burnt alive in 2002 led to massive communal riots across the state of Gujarat.
