The Supreme Court on Tuesday refrained from staying a Gujarat high court order that upheld the Central Pota Review Committee's (CPRC) recommendation that charges framed under the anti-terror law in the Godhra train fire case be withdrawn.

After sustained litigation by Citizens for Justice and Peace, an NGO headed by Teesta Setalvad, the Supreme Court held that the CPRC's decision would be applicable and those who the committee feels were wrongly charged under the terror law would now be tried under ordinary law.

In all, 134 people were accused in the Godhra attack. Of these, 116 were arrested and 18 declared absconders, including one who later died. Of those arrested, 13 were released for lack of evidence and 103 charge-sheeted. Nineteen were released on bail, including three juveniles and two others who later died. Three others died in judicial custody. A total of 81 are in jail, 79 in Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Central Jail and two others in a juvenile observation home.

Last month, the high court absolved all accused of Pota charges framed following the attack on Sabarmati Express in Godhra in 2002.

Godhra resident Sardarji Maganji Waghela, who lost his son in the train fire, had moved the high court challenging CPRC's decision in March last year. Both Vaghela and the Gujarat government disagreed with the review panel's opinion.

Rakesh Bhatnagar/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication