Sunday, May 22 2005 08:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: The Central POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) Review Committee has suggested the Gujarat Government to drop charges of POTA against 131 accused in the Godhra train carnage case.

"The committee, in its report submitted to the State Government, has recommended that charges of POTA be dropped against all the 131 persons booked in the Godhra train carnage case," Chairman of the Committee, S C Jain told sources in Ahmedabad.

"We have instead asked the accused to be tried under IPC and Arms Act," he added.

Contrary to the Gujarat Government's view about the carnage being a "well-planned conspiracy", the review panel has stated in its report that it saw no grounds for booking the accused under POTA because there was no evidence of a conspiracy.

"The Godhra train carnage was not a case of waging war against the State but a fallout of the scuffle between vendors and passengers of the S-6 coach," Jain said.

"Even if there is a conspiracy, it was localised and cannot be interpreted as an act against the nation to be tried under POTA," he added.

POTA was applied on this case after the arrest of Maulana Hussan Umarji, who the Special Investigating Team probing the case, identified as the 'mastermind' behind the carnage.