Naroda Patiya massacre: Maya Kodnani gets 28 years in jail

AHMEDABAD: A special court has sentenced Mayaben Kodnani, ex-minister in the Narendra Modi government, to 28 years in jail for her involvement in the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Naroda Patiya. Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi was awarded life imprisonment till death. Thirty other convicts were also awarded life terms.

Kodnani, sitting Naroda MLA, was awarded 18-year imprisonment for criminal conspiracy and murder and 10 years for arson. Special judge Jyotsana Yagnik ruled the two sentences will not run concurrent. Kodnani was appointed Gujarat minister for women and child development in 2007, five years after the post-Godhra riots. She resigned in 2009, when she was arrested by the SC-appointed SIT.

Seven others - Naresh Chara, Morli Sindhi, Haresh Rathod, Suresh Langado, Premchand Tiwari, MS Kukrani and Bipin Panchal - were sentenced to 21 years in jail. It sentenced 22 to life term of 14 years. The quantum of punishment was not announced for Shahjad Nekalkar as he was not present in the court.