Date:14/02/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/02/14/stories/2003021405101100.htm

National

Godhra case: police remand for moulvi denied

By Our Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD FEB. 13. The Anand railway court today rejected the railway police's demand for a further seven days' remand for Moulana Hussain Umaraji, moulvi of a mosque in Godhra and accused as a "key conspirator" in the Sabarmati Express train carnage.

The court sent the Moulana to judicial custody and ordered that he be lodged in the Vadodara central jail.

On the expiry of two days' remand, the police produced the Moulana in the railway court in Anand for further remand but the request was turned down. The Moulana, who was arrested last week that sparked off widespread protests from the minority leaders in Godhra and elsewhere in Gujarat, was granted two days' remand on Tuesday when the police wanted 10 days for further questioning him on the conspiracy angle.

He was arrested following a statement before the police by one of the accused that the Moulana had masterminded the train carnage and was also "shielding" the other accused in the case.