Gujarat HC grants bail to VHP leader Atul Vaidya in Gulberg Society massacre case

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday granted bail to convicted Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Atul Vaidya in the Gulberg Society massacre case. The VHP leader who as sentenced to seven years imprisonment in June, 2016, was granted regular bail.

A division bench led by Justice Abhilasha Kumari granted bail to Vaidya and held that he had already spent one year in jail while his appeal petition was pending. Vaidya has appealed against his conviction in the case. The court also held that based on the evidence



against him, bail can be granted.

Vaidya was convicted along with 23 others by a special designated court for killing 69 people at Gulberg Society. The case was related to post Godhra riots in Ahmedabad. With the High Court's order, Vaidya becomes the first convict to get regular bail in the case.

While then Chief Minister of the state, Narendra Modi was accused of being the brain behind the massacre, a Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team had given him a clean chit.