A charge sheet was filed on Tuesday against Maulana Hussain Umarji, allegedly the main conspirator behind the attack on the Sabarmati Express on February 27, 2002.

The Special Investigating Team of the Railway Police filed the charge sheet in a special POTA court. The POTA court had earlier directed the investigating team to file the charge sheet by May 22.

Umarji, a local cleric was arrested from his residence in Signal Falia locality in Godhra on February 6 following a confession by another accused Zabir bin Yameen Behra on February 5 in a local court.

According to official sources, Umarji, during police custody had made confessions regarding transfer of funds through hawala channels into Godhra from Pakistan and West Asian countries.

Umarji, it is alleged by the police, had promised to pay Rs 1500 to all accused involved in the torching of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station.

On May 8, the Gujarat high court had quashed Umarji's application challenging POTA court's order remanding him to police custody from judicial custody. He was then sent to police custody till May 13.

Umarji is presently lodged at Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad.

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