Indian Express
SIT begins probing Modi role, first call to Jafris
Express news service Posted: Tuesday , May 26, 2009 at 0354 hrs IST
Gandhinagar:
The SIT on Tuesday began probing the role, if any, of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 62 others in the 2002 riots in Gujarat which officially left 1,180 dead.
The Supreme Court’s order to the SIT followed a complaint filed by Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was among those killed in the Gulbarg Society massacre during the riots. Besides seeking a probe into the role of the 63 persons, Zakia had also raised several other questions.
“We began the inquiry today into Zakia Jafri’s petition by calling the petitioner herself to our office in Gandhinagar. We had a long interaction with her, and she narrated the allegations she made in her petition,” said SIT chief and former CBI Director R K Raghavan.
During her half-an-hour interaction, Zakia mainly focused on a meeting of February 27, 2002 where she alleged Chief Minister Narendra Modi had directed the police “to remain silent and allow Hindus to vent their anger”. The meeting called by the CM to review the law and order situation arising out of the torching of Sabarmati Express at Godhra was attended by some ministers, the then ACS (Home) Ashok Narayan and DGP K Chakravarti.
“I have requested the SIT to thoroughly probe the role of Modi and other 62 persons in the post-Godhra riots. The SIT chief has assured me that his team will inquire into all the questions raised in the petition filed in the Supreme Court,” Zakia said later.
Teesta Setalvad of the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) and Zakia’s son Tanvir were also present during the interaction. A co-petitioner, Teesta said she had also requested the SIT to take note of the late BJP leader Haren Pandya’s statement before the Concerned People’s Tribunal, headed by Justice Krishna Aiyar, on what transpired at the February 27 meeting.
|
