11.4.12

No proof to nail Modi

A Supreme Court-appointed panel has not found any evidence against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and 62 others in a case based on the 2002 communal riots filed against them by Zakia Jafri. Zakia’s husband, former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, was set on fire at Gulbarg Society in 2002 while trying to protect his neighbours from a mob. Zakia had alleged that Modi was among 62 people who colluded to ensure that assistance did not reach those being attacked. Metropolitan magistrate M S Bhatt in his order said that the SC-mandated special investigation team (SIT) had filed a “closure report against the accused persons” that said there was no evidence to establish offences against the accused. On Zakia’s plea for a copy of SIT report, he asked the agency to provide a copy of the report along with witnesses’ statements and all documents to her within 30 days. The Supreme Court had asked the SIT to probe Zakia’s allegation that the Gulbarg Society massacre—in which 69 people were killed—was the result of a larger conspiracy. Sources said SIT chief RK Raghavan has recommended departmental inquiry against two police officers, M K Tandon (joint police commissioner in 2002) and P B Gondia (then deputy commissioner of police) since he did not have any evidence to file a charge-sheet against them. The BJP heaved a sigh of “big relief ”. Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “No evidence against Narendra Modi, says the SIT appointed by the Supreme Court. A big relief for us. Ten years of vilification must stop.

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