Judge hearing Soharabuddin case transferred

Judge hearing Soharabuddin case transferred19 Dec 2007, 1602 hrs IST,PTI

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court has transferred Additional Sessions and Designated POTA Court Judge Sonia Gokani, who was handling several important cases, including the Soharabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. Gokani has been moved to the post of Registrar (Recruitment) in the High Court, official sources in the court said here on Wednesday. The court of Gokani had conducted trial of sensitive cases like the 2002 terrorist attack on Akshardham temple and assassination of former Minister of State for Home, Haren Pandya. The hearings in Soharabuddin case of November 2005 and rape and murder of Bijal Joshi on New Year's eve in 2003 were pending in the court of Gokani. The Sabarmati train burning case, in which 59 people were killed at Godhra on February 27, 2002, was also being heard by her till the Supreme Court stayed the hearing in the matter. The high court has also ordered transfer of three other judges.