‘Godhra case conspiracy aimed at targeting karsevaks’

“The cause of fire which took place in coach S-6 was not short circuit or accidental because of any leakage of kerosene from stove of any passenger; but definitely petrol in huge quantity came to be poured inside the coach,” the court has held.

“The target was not all passengers but definitely the karsevaks who were travelling in this train.”

The conspiracy was hatched on the previous day by Haji Bilal,Faruk Bhana,Abdul Rajak Kurkur and Salim Panwala. “As per the plan,Kurkur and Panwala both had gone to Kalabhai Petrol Pump on moped on 26-2-2002 around 10 p.m. taking with them other conspirators…in a tempo and purchased 140 litres loose petrol in different seven carboys.”

Taking advantage of quarrel that took place on platform and misbehaviour by ‘karsevaks’ with Muslim girls,the absconding accused Panwala and the accused Mehbub Ahmed alias Latiko called people from nearby Signal Faliya,court holds.

“If there was no plan at all,it would have not been possible to gather Muslim persons with deadly weapons within five to six minutes and to reach near ‘A’ Cabin on the railway tracks,” court says.

59 people died in the train burning incident,sparking off communal riots in Gujarat.