The post-Godhra riots’ vampire has got reincarnation in the form of Supreme Court’s new order to haunt Narendra Modi’s government during whose second term of chief ministerialship carnage upon the minority communities carried out. The Apex Constitutional body announced on Wednesday setting up of a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to carry forward the probe of fourteen communal riot cases in Gujarat.
A three-member bench consisting of Justices Arijit Pasayat, P Sathasivam and Aftab Alam issued the order after hearing the pleas of senior counsel Harish Salve assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter and Gujarat government counsel Mukul Rohatgi.
The investigation team is accounted to submit its report within three months. After having a thorough look into the report, the court will further issue order in the case accordingly.
As per the sources, the team would not carry out fresh probe from beginning; instead it would garnish the probe already done earlier and escort the investigation from where it has abandoned. Besides, it may cross-check some witnesses-in-doubt, if needed.
Although the constant demand of hearing of cases outside Gujarat by social activist Teesta Setalvaad did not consider by the Bench, but said the demand could be considered, if the result of the investigation were not found satisfactory.
In 2003, the NHRC filed a transfer petition for an impartial probe of the 2002 communal riot cases apprehending that the trial, if conducted in Gujarat would not be free and fair, as witnesses were being threatened. Subsequently, the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) filed a similar petition with an appeal to carry out the probe by CBI.
In 2005, the investigations were stayed by an order of Supreme Court, which was lifted today by an order of investigation to be performed by the SIT.
In an affidavit filed early February by the state government had informed the court that it was willing to investigation into the Godhra carnage executed by the CBI and tried outside the state.
Members of SIT:
Ex-CBI chief R K Raghavan and former DG of UP Police C D Satpathy besides three IPS officers from Gujarat -- Geeta Johri, Shivanand Jha and Ashish Bhatia. The team will be headed by the former CBI chief Raghavan.
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