Fakhruddin Yusuf, 45, an accused in the Godhra case, died on Tuesday night in the Sabarmati Central Prison in Ahmedabad, according to his lawyer A A Hasan.

"This is a serious case of custodial death and must be investigated," Hasan told rediff.com

The Inspector General of Prison, H R Gehlot, confirmed the death but disputed the place and timing.

He said, "Fakhruddin Yusuf died of cardiac arrest in the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital at 12:05 am [April 30]. He was admitted on February 28. He had complained of chest pain and low blood pressure."

According to the charge sheet filed by the Railway Police, he was accused number 8 in the case.

According to the police, Yusuf was present in the 'crowd' that allegedly torched the S6 compartment of the Sabarmati Express on February 27, 2002.

His family sources said he was arrested the next day from his residence in Rahmatnagar, Godhra.

Along with 57 other accused, he had tried for bail in March 2002. Last year, Fakhruddin and the other accused had complained to a Godhra court that the police was harassing them. A magistrate-level inquiry was instituted, but nothing was found to indict the police.

According to social activist Mukhtar Mohammed, who is helping some of the accused, "Fakhruddin's death must be investigated because according to his inmates in prison, he died at 10 pm yesterday night [Tuesday night] in a hospital bed in the Sabarmati Central Prison."

Later, the body was taken to the civil hospital, he added.

Mohammed said, "Two days back a doctor who treated him in the jail asked for Rs 200 for further treatment, but he was too poor..."

Yusuf's wife is facing serious financial difficulties.