Update from Citizens For Justice and Peace on Naroda Patia and Gulberg Trails [24 March 2015]

There is much excitement and hurry. We shall be sending a more detailed and comprehensive update by the end of the week.

After the unfortunate granting of bail to Maya Kodnani there was an inexplicable hurry in the manner in which the matter as listed for hearing of the appeal in the Gujarat HC. Day after tomorrow the hearing of the appeals begins. Victim Witnesses have filed Interventions and also a Recusal application.;

A more detailed UPDATE soon
Teesta Setalvad

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31805&articlexml=NARODA-PATIA-CASE-Riot-victims-seek-another-bench-24032015005069
Mar 24 2015 : The Times of India (Ahmedabad)
NARODA PATIA CASE - Riot victims seek another bench for appeals
Ahmedabad
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Judge Currently Hearing Pleas Had Recused Self From The Case Earlier
The survivor-wit nesses of the 2002 Naroda Patia massacre case, on Monday , ob jected to the Gujarat high court bench headed by Jus tice Ravi Tripathi hearing the appeals of the convicted accused the convicted accused of the case. Naroda Patia wit nessed the biggest massacre during the communal riots of 2002. The survivors, who have questioned the acquittal of cer tain persons by the special SIT court in this case, have filed an affida vit stat ing that Justice Justice Tripathi had, in the past, recused himself from hearing a case pertaining to one of the appeals following an appearance of advocate V H Patel in the matter. Now, the same case had come before the same bench as all matters pertaining to the Naroda Patia massacre are to be heard along with the appeals filed by former minister Maya Kodnani.This time, however, the advocate has changed in the case. The witnesses have argued that since the judge had said `not before me' to a case, he cannot hear the same case again. The witnesses have urged the high court that the case, which was not heard by Justice Tripathi in the past, should not be heard by his bench now, sources said. n hearing of such appeals, all related matters are usually heard together. As per the present sitting of judges in the high court, the Naroda Patia massacre appeals are being heard by Justice Tripathi's bench. When Kodnani's plea for quick hearing came up before him, he kept March 23 for final hearing and ordered that all cognate matters to be placed before him. Now the witnesses do not want the matter to be heard by this bench and this is apparent from the reservation they have expressed by pointing out a single matter.

Incidentally , Justice Ravi Tripathi is to retire in a month.

On Monday , advocate Kalpesh Shastri, who appeared for the witnesses, mentioned this issue before a bench headed by Justice MR Shah and sought time for hearing. This was because Justice Tripathi's bench was not available on Monday .Next hearing in the matter is on March 26.

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31805&articlexml=APPEALS-Final-Naroda-Patia-hearing-on-Mar-23-13032015002076
Mar 13 2015 : The Times of India (Ahmedabad)

APPEALS - Final Naroda Patia hearing on Mar 23

Ahmedabad

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Gujarat high court has kept March 23 for final hearing on the appeals filed by former minister Maya Kodnani and other convicts in the 2002 Naroda Patia massacre case. The HC has expedited the hearing on appeals filed against the verdict delivered by then special SIT judge, Jyotsna Yagnik in 2012. The trial court has convicted 32 persons including Kodnani and Babu Bajrangi to life imprisonment. While Kodnani has got a 28-year jail term, Bajrangi has been given a jail term till end of his life.

Earlier, the SC had ordered the HC to expeditiously proceed in this case while turning down a victim's appeal against bail granted by the HC to Kodnani last year.

On Thursday , a special prosecutor furnished a list of total matters and submitted that there are more than 100 appeals in this case. He also submitted that certain papers have not been made available to all the parties. Lawyers appearing for various parties requested the court for a date and the HC has now kept final hearing on March 23.


http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/hc-to-hear-maya-kodnani-appeal-from-today/
HC to hear Maya Kodnani appeal from today

By: Express News Service | Ahmedabad | Published on:March 12, 2015 12:37 am

The Gujarat High Court will start hearing former state minister Maya Kodnani’s appeal against her conviction in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case from Thursday. This follows directions from the Supreme Court to expedite the hearing after a victim of the 2002 riots had approached the apex court seeking cancellation of her bail.

The High Court last year granted bail to Kodnani on grounds of her medical condition as well as merit of the case.

The 60-year-old Kodnani was convicted and sentenced by a trial court in 2012 in the riot case. The special trial court had sentenced 30 people, including Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi. All the convicts have challenged the trial court’s order, but their cases are yet to be listed for disposal.

According to prosecution lawyers, the court is expediting Kodnani’s case due to the apex court order. They said in the last hearing they had reminded the court that there are other similar petitions which should also be heard together. Kodnani, who is also an accused in the Naroda Gam riot case along with Bajrangi, has challenged the conviction claiming contradictions in the versions of the witnesses.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/babu-bajrangis-conviction-a-political-conspiracy-wife/

Babu Bajrangi’s conviction a political conspiracy: wife

Written by Satish Jha | Ahmedabad | Published on:March 11, 2015 3:31 am

THE conviction of Babubhai Patel alias Babu Bajrangi, who is on death row in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case, is a “political conspiracy”, according to his wife.

Meenaben Patel, 46, who wrote a letter on her husband’s behalf to the Gujarat chief minister pleading for mercy, told
The Indian Express that there has been no response from the government yet. Copies of the letter, dated January 29, were sent to the governor, home minister and law minister.

At her home in Naroda on Tuesday, Meenaben said her husband was losing vision and can’t perform his daily chores without help from fellow jail inmates. Bajrangi is lodged in the Sabarmati Central Jail since 2012, following sentencing by a special court. Former state minister Maya Kodnani was also among those sentenced in the case.

Asked what kind of political conspiracy she was talking about, Meenaben refused to elaborate, saying, “It won’t be proper and it is well-known.”

On her husband’s health, she said, “I am allowed to see him once a week and his health has continuously been deteriorating since he has almost completely lost eyesight. He just can’t see.” “I am also unwell and have been suffering from diabetes and thyroid. My two sons don’t listen to me and I am left all alone. All I want is his company so that I can take care of him,” she said.

In her letter, Meenaben said, “My husband is suffering from severe diabetes, needs proper treatment, but he is not able to get it. Under these circumstances, he is unable to perform his routine chores and he is in helpless condition.” She said after Bajrangi’s conviction, her two sons did not maintain “good relations with the family or with me”. “Therefore, I request you to please exercise the powers you have and pardon my husband by taking all the aforementioned facts into consideration on humanitarian grounds,” she said in her two-page letter.

Sources said Governor Om Prakash Kohli has sent the letter to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Shivanand Jha, who forwarded it to the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team that probed the case for its opinion. According to highly placed sources, no relief can be given to Bajrangi since his case was still in court. “A mercy plea is entertained when the matter gets over in the courts. In case of Bajrangi, his appeal against the conviction is pending with the Gujarat High Court and hence nothing can be done at this moment,” a senior SIT officer said.

NARODA PATIA BAIL CASE

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-12-20/news/57257481_1_regular-bail-gujarat-high-court-riot-case
Gujarat High Court corrects typo; says not suspended conviction of Maya Kodnani

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/5-months-later-hc-says-order-giving-kodnani-relief-was-a-typo/
5 months later, HC says order giving Kodnani relief was a typo

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-gujarat-high-court-corrects-typo-says-not-suspended-conviction-of-maya-kodnani-2045670
Gujarat High Court corrects typo; says not suspended conviction of Maya Kodnani
Saturday, 20 December 2014 - 7:20pm IST | Place: Ahmedabad | Agency: PTI

http://www.livelaw.in/maya-kodnanis-conviction-not-suspended-gujarat-high-court-clarifies-typographical-error/
Maya Kodnani’s conviction not suspended: Gujarat High Court clarifies typographical error

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/riot-victims-protest-bail-to-kodnani-others/article6946133.ece
Riot victims protest bail to Kodnani, others

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/kodnani-freed-on-bail/article6270761.ece
Kodnani freed on bail

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maya-Kodnani-walks-free-after-HC-rejects-plea-for-stay-on-bail/articleshow/39393115.cms
Maya Kodnani walks free after HC rejects plea for stay on bail

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31805&articlexml=Maya-walks-free-after-HC-rejects-plea-for-01082014003005
Maya walks free after HC rejects plea for stay on bail



http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/hc-dismisses-sit-plea-for-stay-on-bail-to-kodnani/
HC dismisses SIT plea for stay on bail to Kodnani

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/naroda-patiya-massacre-gujarat-hc-grants-bail-maya-kodnani-1641959.html
Naroda Patiya massacre: Gujarat HC grants bail to Maya Kodnani

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-gujarat-high-court-dismisses-sit-s-plea-for-stay-on-maya-kodnani-s-bail-2006851
Gujarat high court dismisses SIT's plea for stay on Maya Kodnani's bail


http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=64246
HC dismisses SIT’s plea for stay on Kodnani’s bail

http://post.jagran.com/hc-dismisses-sits-plea-for-stay-on-bail-to-maya-kodnani-1406808279
HC dismisses SIT's plea for stay on bail to Maya Kodnani

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naroda-Patia-massacre-Maya-Kodnani-granted-bail-by-Gujarat-high-court/articleshow/39301263.cms
Naroda Patia massacre: Maya Kodnani granted bail by Gujarat high court



GULBERG TRIAL RESUMES AFTER SIT INITIATED GAP OF OVER TWO YEARS

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31805&articlexml=Ex-JCP-Tandon-cant-claim-he-didnt-know-19032015004063

Mar 19 2015 : The Times of India (Ahmedabad)

`Ex-JCP Tandon can't claim he didn't know about Gulbarg killings'

Ahmedabad:

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

The victim-witnesses in the Gulbarg society massacre case submitted before the special SIT court on Wednesdaythat the then joint commissioner of police (JCP) M K Tandon cannot claim ignorance about the violence in the colony on February 28, 2002.

On the day after the Godhra carnage, Tandon remained away from Gulbarg Society and stayed in Dariapur, which didn't witness any heinous incident. Tandon claimed he was not aware of the incident and hence did not rush to the society, where 69 persons were killed.

Demanding the arraignment of Tandon along with then police commissioner P C Pande, then DCP P B Gondia and former investigator S S Chudasama, the witnesses' counsel S M Vora cited police records that reflect that many messages were forwarded to Tandon from the police control room about the critical situation at Gulbarg society. Advocate Vora also cited SIT report that puts on record the mistakes committed by Tandon in not saving the lives.

Citing all messages meant for Tandon, who was codenamed Ti ger as a JCP of Sector 2, the lawyer said Tandon cannot claim ignorance about the massacre.

The lawyer also claimed how Tandon forced local cops to file four more FIRs in Dariapur for a single incident in order to justify his stay there on February 28, 2002.“We told the court that Tandon's is not the case of departmental inquiry as suggested by the SIT, but his was deliberate criminal negligence that resulted in 69 murders at Gulbarg society, and hence he should be tried in this case,“ advocate Vora said.

The court kept further hearing on March 25, when the lawyer was expected to throw light on the role of three other cops. SIT's counsel will argue later.


ACQUITTALS IN OTHER CASES

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/british-nationals-killing-all-6-accused-acquitted/
British nationals’ killing: All 6 accused acquitted

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31805&articlexml=Prantij-killings-SIT-court-acquits-6-28022015005021
Prantij killings: SIT court acquits 6

http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-court-acquits-70-people-from-2002-riots-case-in-banaskantha/
Gujarat court acquits 70 people from 2002 riots case in Banaskantha

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/2002-postgodhra-riots-case-70-acquitted/article6895748.ece
All 70 acquitted in 2002 post-Godhra riots case

http://nasheman.in/gujarat-court-acquits-70-accused-from-2002-riots-case/
Gujarat court acquits 70 accused from 2002 riots case

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31805&articlexml=Court-acquits-62-in-2002-riots-case-14022015007022
Court acquits 62 in 2002 riots case Palanpur: