Gujarat riots: Former BJP minister Maya Kodnani, Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi among 32 convicted in Naroda Patiya case

Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani of the BJP and a Bajrang Dal leader, Babu Bajrangi, are among 32 people who have been convicted by a special court almost a decade after 95 people were killed in Ahmedabad's Naroda Patiya in one of the worst incidents of mob violence in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Kodnani and Bajrangi have been charged with murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

This is the first time that a former minister has been convicted in a Gujarat riots case. The special court in Ahmedabad has also let off 29 others accused in the Naroda Patya  case.

On February 28, 2002, a day after the Godhra train burning incident, a rioting mob had attacked Naroda Patiya, killing 95 Muslims. The incident took place during a bandh call given by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The case was first investigated by the Gujarat Police, but in 2009, the Supreme Court appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe ten cases, including the Naroda Patiya incident.

The SIT registered cases against many of the accused, including the then Minister of Women and Child Development Mayaben Kodnani. Ms Kodnani, who was the MLA from the area, was also the first minister to be arrested in a riot case. Witnesses in Naroda Patiya have made statements alleging that Ms Kodnani had incited mobs.

Babu Bajrangi, the Bajrang Dal leader, was accused of leaading the mob that attacked the Naroda Patya victims. Of the 64 people accused in the case, three died during trial. The remaining 61 accused were tried for murder, arson and rioting. Most of them were out on bail.  -NDTV-