SIT completes investigation, Maulana Umarji prime conspirator

Vadodara, Feb 21 (UNI) The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Gujarat police has completed its probe in the five-year-old Godhra train carnage, concluding Godhra-based Maulana Hussain Umarji was the prime conspirator.

The investigating agency, which has filed altogether 17 chargesheets against 135 accused during the course of its investigation into the gruesome incident of February 27, 2002, has however not been able to establish any link of any Pakistani or Kashmir terrorists link with the 115 accused arrested so far.

Talking to UNI, top state police sources said barring some formalities, the investigation being conducted by the SIT, headed by the special inspector general of police (Vadodara Range), was complete.

Of the total 135 accused, 115 persons, including the 57-year- old Maulana, the alleged mastermind behind the carnage, and most of the members of his core group that executed the plan, were arrested under section 3(1) of the Prevention of Terrorist Act, 2002, the sources said.

However, 99 of the accused were now in judicial custody following death of three and release of 13 others due to lack of substantial evidence against them. SIT was still looking for 18 absconders, including four key accused--Saleem Panwala, Saukat Ahmed Charkha, Imran Sheru and Farooq Bhana. While Panwala and Charkha were believed to have had fled to Pakistan, the other two seemed to be hiding somewhere in Bangladesh.

Nearly five years ago on February 27, 2002, 59 people, mostly Kar Sevaks returning from Ayodhya to Gujarat by the Sabarmati Express, were burnt alive in coach S-6 by a 1000-strong mob belonging to the minority community at Godhra station.

The incident triggered bloodiest state-wide communal riots in Gujarat for three months in which nearly 1000 people lost their lives and property worth hundreds of crores detroyed.

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