Clean chit to Modi in 2002 Gujarat riots: SC defers hearing on Zakia Jafri’s plea yet again

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 5

The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred to October 26 the hearing on Zakia Jafri’s petition challenging clean chit to the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 post-Godhra riots in which her husband and former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri was killed.

A Bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar – which adjourned the hearing at the request of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Jafri—made it clear that no further adjournment will be given at her instance. It also gave liberty to Jafri to file additional compilation in the matter.

Zakia had filed a petition in the apex court in 2018 challenging the Gujarat High Court’s October 5, 2017 order rejecting her plea against the decision of the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Ehsan Jafri was among the 68 people killed at Gulberg Society on February 28, 2002, a day after the S-6 Coach of the Sabarmati Express was burnt at Godhra killing 59 people and triggering riots in Gujarat.

On February 8, 2012, the SIT filed a closure report giving a clean chit to the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 63 others, including senior government officials, saying there was “no prosecutable evidence” against them.

On Tuesday, Sibal said the matter has suddenly come up and there were about 23,000 pages of record and they would circulate a convenience compilation.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the request on the ground of convenience compilation is being raised for the last one-and-a-half-year.

“Mr Sibal, we think that Mr Solicitor General was very considerate in saying only one-and-a-half year. The matter is pending from 2018,” the Bench said.

Earlier, the Bench had deferred hearing on Jafri’s plea in April and March this year as well at her instance and the Bench had said it won’t entertain any more request for adjournment.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the SIT, had opposed the adjournment.