Godhra: Kodnani's bail restrictions relaxed further

A special trial court on Wednesday extended the bail modification of ex-BJP MLA Maya Kodnani for a period of six months that will allow her to travel beyond the limits of Gujarat. This was the third time since January 2019 when the bail condition that prohibits her from travelling outside Gujarat have been lifted. Kodnani, acquitted in Naroda Patiya massacre case in 2018 by Gujarat High Court, is facing trial in Naroda Gam case of 2002 post-Godhra riots.

The special judge M K Dave granted her relief on Monday while stating that the condition that "restrains the applicant (Kodnani) from moving outside Gujarat State without the prior permission of this Court, is ordered to stand suitably relaxed and to remain in abeyance for a period of six months commencing from 06/01/2020." In this case, Kodnani was granted bail in 2009 with several conditions that included a restriction on her movements outside Gujarat.

She sought relief from the court on the ground that "she is required to frequent outside Gujarat for the purpose of composing herself from her ailment of depression by embarking on pilgrimages outside Gujarat along with her family members, as also for attending social gatherings and functions..."

Kodnani is among 81 accused facing the trial for murdering 11 persons from Muslim community at Naroda Gam in Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002, following Sabarmati Express train burning incident. The trial of this is at the stage of final hearing. This is among the nine major cases probed by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT). Naroda Patiya, Gulbarg Society, Ode Massacre, Dipda Darwaja and others were some of the cases which were probed by the SIT.