Godhra train carnage convict who jumped parole arrested in theft case in Nashik

Further probe confirmed the involvement of an inter-state gang of thieves from Godhra in Gujarat. Based on clues obtained during technical investigation, police nabbed a five-member gang from Nashik on January 22.

The accused included Salim Zarda and his aides—Sahil Pathan (21), Sufiyan Chanaki (23) Ayub Sunthiya (29) and Irfan Durvesh (41), all hailing from Godhra. The Pune rural police recovered a tempo truck and other stolen items, all collectively totalling to Rs 14.4 lakhs, from the accused.

After investigation by the Pune rural police, the accused were handed over to Sinnar police in Nashik for further probe into the theft cases.

Police inspector Dinesh Tayade of Alephata police station said Zarda is among the 31 accused convicted in the 2002 Godhra train carnage case.

“Of them, 11 accused, including Zarda, were awarded death sentences and the remaining 20 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court. Later, a high court in Gujarat had commuted the death sentence of Zarda and the 10 others to life imprisonment. Zarda jumped parole eight times in the past. He formed a gang for committing thefts and has been named as an accused in 16 offences in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra,” said Tayade.

Zarda had reportedly jumped parole in October 2022, but was arrested by the Gujarat police in January 2023 for allegedly committing theft at a godown in Narmada district.