- Of the 24 convicts in the case, 11 get life imprisonment, 12 sentenced to seven years’ jail time, and one has been sent to jail for 10 years.
- No death sentence was awarded to any of the convicts.
- Slain Congressman Ehsan Jafri’s wife Zakia Jafri will seek life imprisonment for all the convicts.
- Kin of convicts will also appeal against the sentencing in a higher court.
- The quantum of punishment was pronounced today after being deferred twice in the past.
- Of the 66 accused, 24 were convicted, 36 were acquitted while 6 died before the verdict.
Former ADG of Gujarat Police Blames Raghavan
RB Sreekumar, former senior Gujarat police officer, was disappointed by the verdict.
Look, 69 people lost their lives and just 11 have been given life imprisonment. This is wrong.
Sreekumar was the Additional Director General of Police in Gujarat when the incident took place. He has alleged that the Raghavan-led SIT functioned as a “special immunisation team” to give then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi a clean chit.
Investigator Had Asked for Capital Punishment
RK Raghavan, former CBI Director and chairman of the SIT, constituted by the Supreme Court to probe cases related to the 2002 Gujarat riots, including the Gulbarg massacre, had asked for death sentence for the convicts. He said “I’m reasonably satisfied, even though we asked for death sentence and that wasn’t given.”
While speaking to CNN News18, Raghavan added,
We will read the judgement and, if need be, we will appeal in higher court. It was a case of epic proportions and I sympathise with Zakia Jafri. There is bound to be disgruntlement. There are mixed feelings on the judgement. On the one hand, 11 have been given life term, but victims want harsher punishment.
After the verdict in the case was announced on 2 June, Raghavan had expressed disappointment towards it. Read his comments on the special court’s verdict on The Quint.