The Fast Track Court designated for the trial of Gulberg Society massacre, on August 11 framed charges against 62 accused involved in the genocide. The designated Judge B.U. Joshi had asked the prosecution to submit the papers on which it is relying in the case. Special judge B.U. Joshi found 62 of the 63 persons guilty on the February 28, 2002 massacre, in which 38 people, including Congress MP, Ehsan Jafri, were killed. The charges were not framed against the suspended police official, K.G. Erda, as he failed to come to court owing to his sickness. It is notable that in 2002, he was senior inspector at the Meghaninagar station, where the Gulberg Society is located. Mr. Erda, who was subsequently promoted as Deputy Superintendent in Bulsar district, from where he was arrested last year by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), was placed under suspension. He was the first police officer in the State arrested in the riot-related cases. He was charged of murder, attempt to murder, dereliction of duty, tampering with evidence and other crimes under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges are likely to be framed against him also during the next hearing on August 20, when the SIT has also been asked to submit the original documents of the case.
The charges against the other accused included criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, promoting enmity between religious groups, rioting, robbery and destroying evidences. The charge sheet named the then VHP leader, Atul Vaidya; BJP leader Pradeep Parmar; former member of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Chunilal Prajapati; and sitting AMC member Bipin Patel, as the principal accused. All the perpetrators are under police custody. However Chief Minister Narendra Modi, prime accused, named by Zakia Jafri, wife of Ehsan Jafri is independent of the 63 accused. Zakia Jafri had submitted a petition in the Apex Court, for a fresh probe into the massacre. Under the directions of the Apex Court, the SIT is making fresh investigations into the cases.