The Gujarat High Court looked into the closure report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that gave a clean chit to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the post-Godhra riots. The court dismissed the allegations made by Zakia Jafri that Modi along with others were involved in a larger conspiracy to plan the riots after the Godhra train burning incident happened.
However, a part of the plea was accepted as Justice Sonia Gokani agreed that further investigations could be done in the case.
Zakia, wife of slain former MP Ehsan Jafri, and activist Teesta Setalvad’s NGO Citizen for Justice and Peace had filed a petition against the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, alleging him to be involved in planning the riots that broke out in the states just after the Godhra Train burning incident.
On 28 Feb 2002, riots broke out in Gujarat and Ehsan Jafri, a Congress leader, was among 68 people who were killed at the Gulberg Society when a mob attacked it.
Following the incident, Ehsan’s wife had filed a petition against Modi and 59 others, including senior police officers and bureaucrats, for allegedly being part of a conspiracy which triggered the riots. However, after the report submitted by the SIT 8 February 2012, Modi and the others got a clean chit.
Zakai once again filed a petition against the report of the SIT in the metropolitan magistrate’s court seeking justice. However, the court in Dec 2013, rejected her petition, which forced her to move to the High Court in 2014.
As per the latest updates, the High Court has also given a clean chit to the Prime Minister after upholding the closure report of the SIT During the hearing the SIT Said that the investigation was done under the watchful eye of the Supreme Court and was accepted by all. It also argued that after going through the report thoroughly, even the lower court believes that there is no need for further investigation in the matter in regards with a larger conspiracy behind the scene.
Meanwhile. Zakai’s advocate, Mihir Desai accused that the magistrate had not even considered other options of either rejecting the SIT report or demanding further investigation. He also argued that the lower court had ignored the guidelines given by the supreme court and had not considered the signed statements of the witness, which said that there was a larger conspiracy behind the riots and Modi along with others was involved in it.
“The riots could have been prevented, and certain ministers, police officers and bureaucrats abetted the violence,” Desai said.
Though Justice Sonia Gokani has agreed that a further probe could be ordered if requires, it is not clear as of now if there will be any more investigation in the matter.