A special court in Ahmedabad today upheld the conspiracy theory in the burning of the Sabarmati Express in 2002 and convicted 31 people while acquitting 63 including the main accused MaulviUmarji. 59 people were killed in the carnage which triggered violence in Gujarat that had claimed the lives of over 1200 people. The sentencing would be pronounced on Friday. The court acquitted prime accused Maulana Umarji while other prominent accused Haji Billa and Rajjak Kurkur were convicted. Scientific evidence, statement of witnesses, circumstantial and documentary evidence placed on record formed the basis of the judgement. The trial conducted inside the Sabarmati Central Jail here began in June 2009 with the framing of charges against 94 accused in the carnage that had triggered widespread communal riots in Gujarat. The accused have been charged with criminal conspiracy and murder in burning of the S-6 coach of the train on February 27, 2002 near Godhra.