[Explained] 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre: 24 convicted, 36 let off

A special court in Ahmedabad on June 2 convicted 24 people and acquitted 36 in the 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre case, in which former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri was among the 69 people killed.

The court posted sentencing in the case for June 6. The court also ruled that the massacre "was not a pre-planned conspiracy". BJP councillor Bipin Patel and former police inspector KG Erda were among those who have been acquitted. A total of 66 people were charged, of whom six died during the course of trial.

Here are important developments related to the Gulbarg Society case:

1. The Gulbarg Society was attacked a day after Coach S-6 of the Sabarmati Express train was torched in Godhra on February 27, 2002.

2. A mob attacked residents of the Gulbarg Society, situated in Chamanpura area of Ahmedabad, and burnt down most of the houses. Thirty nine people were burnt alive and several others went missing, who were later presumed to be dead.

3. The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the case, had directed the SIT court to give its verdict by May 31. Sixty-six people were named as accused by the SIT in the case, of which nine are behind bars for the past 14 years, while others are out on bail.

4. One of the accused, Bipin Patel, is a sitting BJP councillor from Asarva seat. He was also the councillor in 2002 when the massacre happened and won the election for fourth consecutive term last year.

5. Last week, the court turned down pleas moved by two accused - Narayan Tank and Babu Rathod - to conduct narco analysis and brain mapping tests on them to prove their innocence. The court maintained that it was not required when the verdict was imminent.

6. During the trial, riots victim's lawyer had argued that the massacre was a pre-planned criminal conspiracy hatched by the accused to kill minority community members of the Gulbarg Society.

7. On petitions filed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Citizens for Justice and Peace, the Supreme Court stayed the trial in Gujarat of the major cases related to post Godhra riots of 2002 and transferred them outside the state.

8. The case was among the nine most crucial cases re-investigated by a Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team headed by RK Raghavan, a former head of CBI in the case.

9. The defence refuted the conspiracy theory of prosecution and claimed that the mob resorted to violence only after slain Eshan Jafri fired several rounds on them.

10. Ehsan Jafri's wife Zakiya had alleged the complicity of the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and other ministers in the riots in Ahmedabad. The Gujarat High Court dismissed Zakia's petition seeking the court's directive to the police to register a complaint against and 62 others for their alleged involvement in the Gulbarg Society massacre.

11. The lower court agreed with the SIT that Modi and his state government took all necessary steps to control law and order after the Godhra killings.