Gujarat Riots: Zakia Jafri's Plea Against Clean Chit To Narendra Modi: LIVE UPDATES From Supreme Court
Supreme Court will continue hearing today the petition filed by Zakia Jafri challenging the SIT's clean chit to the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi & other high functionaries in the #GujaratRiots of 2002.A Bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar is hearing the matter.During the course of 3 days before today, Mr. Sibal took the bench through the documents...
Supreme Court will continue hearing today the petition filed by Zakia Jafri challenging the SIT's clean chit to the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi & other high functionaries in the #GujaratRiots of 2002.
A Bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar is hearing the matter.
During the course of 3 days before today, Mr. Sibal took the bench through the documents to demonstrate the failure of the SIT in investigating the matter and the flaw in SIT's stand that there was no violence or arson. SIT has not challenged the Gujarat High Court's decision to acquit Maya Kodnani, former BJP MLA from Naroda, who was identified as the 'kingpin' in the Naroda Patiya massacre of 2002 by the trial court, Mr. Kapil Sibal argued hinting at the political optics of the SIT not challenging the High Court order. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court that the SIT head RK Raghavan was appointed as a High Commissioner later, and all these people who 'collaborated were rehabilitated later.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal is arguing for the petitioner, Zakia Jafri, widow of Congress MLA Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the Gulberg Housing Society massacre during the 2002 Gujarat Riots. She approached the Supreme Court through a special leave petition challenging the SIT report which ruled out any "larger conspiracy" by high state functionaries in instigating the communal riots following the Godhra massacre.
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Sibal: They (SIT) say that political affiliation weighed in with the Govt. but no action was taken. I'll continue tomorrow then, Milords.
Sibal: Tomorrow we will show the CBI has said that these tapes are genuine. This is a case of contempt to court. This is helping the accused, the public prosecutor. The Mag. and HC is not looking at it.
Sibal: Pro VHP prosecutors were appointed, is the allegation. Dilip Trivedi is referred to [in closure report]. [It states on overall observation nothing unusual with appointment.] The man should have been made an accused. He said he never met Ashish Khetan.
Sibal: [Dilip said he had not (directly) spoken to Tehelka reporter] So, Milords what is this investigation? Now, how does SIT accept this in the Closure report at pg. 1393 Vol VIII? Kindly see the allegation in pg. 1393 of the closure report.
Sibal: Kindly come to Vol VA pg 669. [when asked about Tehelka tapes, Dilip said] I have not met such a reporter nor do I know him.
Bench: State recorded by whom?
Sibal: SIT.
Sibal: [Dilip said]There is a lot of support from KG Shah and Nanavati commission. This is to show the kind of role of PPs. SIT looked the other way. Did not do its duty.
Sibal: He (Dilip) said he managed the whole of Guj...All this is by God's grace, we managed all cases. Out of 12 cases, 3 convictions were done by Muslim judges.
Sibal: See the mindset of this man.
Sibal: If the defence collaborated with PP then why have a prosecution. When I said collaborated, it was in this sense. Ideally, what happened, the poor victims knew they had no choice, they were offered money, the defence lawyer was spoken to. This is a matter of investigation.
Sibal: He congratulated himself that out of 1700 cases, 12 resulted in conviction. None of this related to Gulberga. He said KG Shah (member of commission) has been very helpful. This is very serious matter if true, might not be true.
Sibal: He is a PP and he is telling the accused whom to engage. He is getting lawyers for the accused, coordinating PPs. This is a farce of investigation and what was SIT doing.