2002 Gujarat riots: Those who ‘collaborated’ got ‘rehabilitated’, alleges Sibal

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, November 11

Questioning the clean chit to then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat Riots by the SIT, senior advocate Kapil Sibal—representing slain Congress MP Ehsan Jafri’s widow Zakia Jafri – told the Supreme Court on Thursday that those who ‘collaborated’ – including SIT chief RK Raghavan—got ‘rehabilitated’.

Sibal told a Bench led by Justice AM Khanwilkar that the clean chit to Modi itself should be investigated for giving conclusions contrary to facts as instead of investigating the matter it conducted a ‘collaborative exercise’ full of omissions to protect the alleged conspirators.

“All those who collaborated were rehabilitated in a big way. RK Raghavan who headed SIT was made India’s High Commissioner to Cyprus,” he told the top court which was hearing Zakia’s petition challenging the Gujarat High Court’s October 5, 2017 order rejecting her plea against the decision of the SIT set up by the top court in 2008 to close the case.

“The SIT was rendering conclusions contrary to facts they were aware of. In fact, SIT should be investigated. It is true…I am not concerned with individuals. I am concerned with the process. I am only saying SIT did not do its job. It was an act of protection. It did a collaborative exercise,” said Sibal.

He demanded further investigation, saying “No judge can say there was no conspiracy. Who all were involved and why needed further probe.”

He accused the SIT of ignoring call data records of senior police officials and mobs identifying houses of Muslims that alluded to a conspiracy. The SIT did not conduct any further probe into the matter and both the magistrate and the Gujarat High Court too overlooked it, he alleged.

Sibal alleged that the CDR of then Ahmedabad Police Commissioner PC Pandey showed he was conversing with the accused and he later became the DGP of Gujarat. “The journey from accused to DGP is disconcerting,” he told the Bench. He also referred to some sting operations in support of his claims.

The Bench – which had on October 26 said it would like to peruse the SIT giving a clean chit to 64 persons, including Modi, and the justification given by a magisterial court that accepted the closure report – would further take up the matter on November 16.