A special POTA court in Ahmedabad on Monday rejected the bail plea of Maulana Hussain Umarji – main accused in the Godhra train carnage.

Umarji, a religious leader and cleric was arrested by the Special Investigating Team probing the carnage in February this year from his house in the Signal Falia locality in Godhra town.

Rejecting Umarji's bail petition, Special POTA judge Sonia Gokani ruled that the 'incident is serious one and it had wide repercussions across the state'.

"Moreover, bail cannot be granted to the petitioner at present as many of the accused persons are still absconding," Gokani ruled.

According to sources, nearly 53 accused in the case are still absconding while some have been granted bail.

The Gujarat high court had recently granted bail to four accused, but suspended the order for their release from judicial custody for four weeks to allow the state government to appeal in the Supreme Court.

Earlier, the POTA court had 'discharged' an accused Syed Abdul Sattar Kala after the investigating agency failed to provide evidence of his involvement in the train carnage.

The Gujarat Violence: Complete Coverage
More reports from Gujarat