Zeenews Bureau
Ahmedabad: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the 2002 Gulberg Society massacre case, on Tuesday filed a final closure report and exonerated Chief Minister Narendra Modi of any involvement.
"According to SIT, no offence has been established against any of the 58 persons listed in Zakia's complaint,"
Metropolitan magistrate MS Bhatt said in his order today on a batch of petitions in which Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was among 69 persons killed in the
Gulberg society carnage, had named Modi and 57 others for alleged criminal conspiracy in the 2002 riots.
The SIT has filed closure report on Zakia's complaint against CM Narendra Modi and others, the magistrate added.
The judge today also directed the SIT to give a copy of its final report on the case to Zakia Jafri. The judge said that Jafri should be provided with a copy of the report within 30 days.
"Therefore, as per the Supreme Court's order and
principles of natural justice the complainant has to be given
copy of the report and related documents," it said, adding no
notice was needed to be issued to Zakia as she had already
approached the court seeking a copy of the report.
"It is hereby ordered that as per Supreme Court order
Zakia will be given copies of the investigation report,
statements of witnesses and all related documents within 30
days of this order."
In her petition, Zakia had accused over 50 people including Modi of being involved in the post-Godhra riots.
The SIT report, it is claimed, deals with all the cases investigated by the SIT, which include charges against the Chief Minister and 50 other individuals responsible for the post-Godhra riots.
Charges against Modi say that he allowed the dead bodies of karsewaks killed in the Sabarmati Express in Godhra to be brought to Ahmedabad, that he deliberately delayed action and called in the Army too late. It is also alleged that he knew about the threat to life of Ehsan Jafri but didn’t take any action, among others.
The Supreme Court had asked the SIT to investigate whether the Chief Minister failed in his responsibilities and whether there was a larger conspiracy behind the 2002 riots.
Reacting to the SIT's closure report, Zakia said she was
"pained" and vowed to continue her battle for justice while
BJP said the 2002 riots cannot be used as a "bogey" to sustain
the campaign against Modi.
With PTI inputs
First Published: Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 08:58