Kodnani,Patel sent to judicial custody in Sabarmati Central Jail

Kodnani,who is also accused in the Naroda Patiya massacre case,was later arrested by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) on a transfer warrant for further investigation in this case.

“Kodnani is likely to be produced before a city court on Sunday to seek her police remand,” said Sudhir Brahmbhatt,the special public prosecutor in the case.

Earlier in the day,escorted by the Gujarat Police,Kodnani and Patel were produced in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate G M Patel about an hour later than the scheduled time of 11.30am.

Their family members and well wishers,including some of the bailed out accused in the two riot cases and some other lesser known saffron leaders,thronged the court premises.

Some were seen touching Kodnani’s feet in obeisance,while the BJP leader kept on talking with her ‘acquaintances’ both outside and inside the jam-packed courtroom.

Apprehending attack on Patel by POTA accused in the central jail,including those accused of conspiring to kill him to avenge the killings of Muslims during the 2002 mayhem,his counsel Mitesh Amin requested the court to provide his client special protection in the jail.

The court instructed the jail authorities to provide him protection inside the high-security prison.

The SIT had arrested Kodnani and Patel on March 27 after the Gujarat High Court cancelled the anticipatory bails granted to them by a Sessions Court.