The key accused in the Godhra train carnage case, Ismail Yusuf Chunga, whose arrest on Thursday was kept under wraps, was remanded in police custody till March 10 by the Godhra railway court on Friday.
Absconding since the incident on February 27, 2002, Ismail was picked up by the Godhra police early on Thursday morning from his residence and taken to an undisclosed destination, reportedly for identification parade.
Ismail was alleged to be among those who had actually set the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express on fire.
He was among the 16 accused absconding since the train carnage, and his arrest was considered a major success for the Godhra police, particularly because the special fast track court, which delivered its final judgment in the case on Tuesday, has approved the prosecution's “pre-planned conspiracy” theory and sentenced 11 persons to death and 20 to life imprisonment.
Among the 11 awarded the death sentence were those who were held guilty by the court of playing some role in setting fire to the coach.
