Pinnacle Court said that More probe into Gujarat riots will be travesty of justice system

The Top Court resumed hearing of 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 Maheswari and CT Ravikumar heard the matter. Zakia Jafri, who has alleged a larger conspiracy in the 2002 Gujarat riots, told the Supreme Court that she had not tried to “implicate” the then state chief minister at any stage and she has not argued on this even now. Zakia Jafri, the wife of Congress leader Ehsan Jafri who was killed during the violence at Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002, has challenged the SIT's clean chit to 64 people including PM Narendra Modi who was the Gujarat chief minister during the riots in the state. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Jafri, told that being a prosecution witness, she had to confine her statements to what she knew about the particular case. During the hearing , Mehta referred to a report submitted by the inquiry commission, which was led by Justice GT Nanavati, to show that the government took steps to prevent violence, including emergency meetings and deployment of senior police officials to sensitive areas. “Regular police force was put on alert, the ones on leave were asked to join immediately,” Mehta said. Calling the Gulberg society killings “unprecedented”, the solicitor general said that the people found guilty were convicted by judges who were appointed by the then chief justice. Sibal had earlier argued that the bodies of those killed in the Godhra train fire were handed over to VHP functionaries to be taken to Ahmedabad. This was denied by SIT counsel, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who said the bodies were only sent to Ahmedabad since that was the train’s last stop and VHP leaders accompanied because those who were killed were kar sevaks. Sibal said the SIT’s contention was contrary to records. As arguments remained inconclusive bench told will continue tomorrow