SIT report clears Modi, 61 others
Express news service : Ahmedabad,
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found no evidence against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 61 others, including bureaucrats, police officers, ministers and political leaders, in the riots of 2002.
The Ahmedabad metropolitan magistrate announced this today, saying the SIT was closing its case against the 62, and the petitioner in the case, Zakia Jafri, would get a copy of the closure report by May 10.
“No evidence against the accused and offence is not established against the accused,” magistrate M S Bhatt said.
At the most, the report can lead to some departmental inquiries, the SIT counsel indicated.
The Supreme Court, which appointed the SIT, had directed that Jafri be given a copy of the closure report.
The SIT had submitted the 40,000-page report on February 8. Following reports of a clean chit to Modi, Jafri, who lost husband Ahsan Jafri in the riots, had sought a copy. The SIT had opposed the plea.
SIT counsel R S Jamuvar confirmed that the closure report also contained the report by amicus curiae Raju Ramchandran. The apex court had asked Ramchandran to conduct an independent inquiry following allegations of bias by victims against the SIT. Some reports had said Ramchandran had found evidence to book Modi for “spreading communal discord”.
Asked if the SIT had cleared Modi, Jamuvar said: “I can't say it's a clean chit. But there are a lot of points based on which departmental inquiries can be initiated.”
A key SIT officer said while they had proof of negligence by police officers during the riots, “it was not of mala fide intention”. “The officials couldn't manage the situation well,” he said.
