Former CBI Director Rakesh Asthana Claims 2002 Godhra Train Burning Was a Conspiracy, Accuses Lalu Yadav of Framing Him

Former CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana has recently made significant claims regarding the tragic 2002 Godhra train burning incident, asserting that the fire in Sabarmati Express's S-6 coach was a deliberate conspiracy rather than a mere accident.

Asthana emphasized that the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Nanavati Commission report both concluded that the fire was intentionally set, thereby validating the initial investigation conducted by the Gujarat Police. Furthermore, Asthana leveled serious allegations against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, claiming there was a targeted attempt to frame him in the case.

The Godhra Incident and Initial Probe On February 27, 2002, coach S-6 of the Sabarmati Express was set ablaze near the Godhra railway station. The horrific incident claimed the lives of 59 people, including Karsevaks who were returning from Ayodhya. This event acted as a catalyst for the widespread and devastating riots across Gujarat. Following the incident, the Gujarat Police formed an SIT led by Rakesh Asthana to investigate the Godhra carnage.

Validations by Supreme Court SIT and Nanavati Commission In 2008, following the initial police probe, the Supreme Court of India constituted a new SIT under the leadership of former CBI Director R.K. Raghavan to re-examine the police investigation, the crime scene, and the conduct of the investigating officers. According to Asthana, this Supreme Court-appointed SIT found no flaws in the Gujarat Police's investigation, and the apex court accepted its report. The accused in this case were subsequently convicted and sentenced in 2011.

Additionally, the Gujarat government had established a commission in March 2002, initially chaired by K.G. Shah and later headed by Justice Nanavati, to investigate the Godhra incident. The Nanavati Commission also concluded that the fire was a pre-planned conspiracy.

The Banerjee Committee and Allegations Against Lalu Yadav In 2004, the then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav formed a separate committee headed by Justice U.C. Banerjee. This committee's report contradicted the conspiracy findings, labeling the train fire an "accident" caused by a stove kept inside the coach.

Asthana pointed out that the Banerjee Committee report was challenged in the Gujarat High Court. The High Court ultimately struck down the committee's formation as illegal and scrapped its report, stating that the Railway Ministry could not form a separate inquiry committee when a state commission was already investigating the matter.

Asthana alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav intended to use the Banerjee Committee to falsely implicate him in the Godhra case. He revealed that an old colleague, who was working in a senior media position in Delhi at the time, had called to warn him about this potential framing. However, Asthana refrained from commenting on any personal or political motives behind Yadav's alleged actions.

Sonia Gandhi's Perspective The article notes that former Congress President Sonia Gandhi also addressed the Godhra incident and the ensuing riots in her book, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love'. Between pages 401 and 403, she wrote that the riots erupted after four coaches of the Sabarmati Express were set on fire, killing 59 pilgrims traveling from Ayodhya to Ahmedabad. She noted that the cause of the fire remains a disputed topic, which led to massive turmoil in parts of the state.

The Aftermath: The Gujarat Riots The Godhra train burning triggered one of the most violent riots in the state's history, resulting in the deaths of 1,044 people, which included 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus. Just a day after the Godhra incident, on February 28, an uncontrolled mob killed 69 people at the Gulbarg Housing Society in Ahmedabad. The situation deteriorated so rapidly that the Army had to be deployed on the third day to restore law and order.