SC convicts 12 for murder of ex-Gujarat home minister

Pandya was the home minister in the then Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government. Pic /AFP

New Delhi: The Supreme Court convicted 12 persons on Friday in the 2003 murder case of former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya.

The apex court allowed the appeals of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Gujarat government challenging the high court order by which the convicts were absolved of the murder charge in the case. The trial court had convicted the accused persons for the offence of murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The apex court set aside the Gujarat High Court verdict by which the accused were absolved of the murder charge.

The high court had concurred with the trial court's decision to convict them for criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder and offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

The Supreme Court bench of justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Saran, however, dismissed a PIL filed by NGO "Centre for Public Interest Litigation" (CPIL) seeking a court-monitored fresh probe in the Pandya murder case. It also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on CPIL for filing the PIL and said no further petition would be entertained in the case.

Pandya was the home minister in the then Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government. He was shot dead on March 26, 2003, near Law Garden in Ahmedabad during a morning walk. According to the CBI, Pandya was killed to avenge the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates