The state government has challenged before the Gujarat High Court the acquittal of 31 accused in the 2002 Sardarpura massacre case but has not sought death term for another 31 accused who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a special trial court.

Investigation Officer G V Barot said they have moved an appeal against the acquittal of those who were given benefit of the doubt.

The special trial court of principal district judge of Mehsana,Swarnlata Srivastava,had convicted and sentenced 31 accused to life imprisonment in November last year and had acquitted 42,of which 11 were given a clean chit while 31 others were given benefit of the doubt. Arguing before the trial court,the prosecution had demanded death for all of them.

Meanwhile,the convicts have also moved appeals against their conviction at the HC.

Thirty-three Muslims were burnt alive by a mob in the Sardarpura village of Mehsana district during the riots. The massacre is one of the nine cases that have been investigated by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT.

So far,two of the nine special trial courts in these cases have pronounced judgments.

In the Godhra train carnage case,the court had convicted 31 persons,of whom 11 were given death sentence while 20 were awarded life imprisonment. Sixty-three other accused were acquitted by the court.

Challenging the verdict in the Godhra case,the government has sought capital punishment for all the convicts.

At the same time,out of the 63 acquitted,the government has challenged the acquittal of 61.