Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat DGP, RB Sreekumar,
on Thursday slammed the Supreme Court-appointed special
investigation team (SIT) for allegedly taking a pro-Narendra
Modi line in the probe into the 2002 riots cases, to shield
him from the prosecution.
In an open letter to the people, Sreekumar, who headed
the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) during the riots period,
has also made public his first statement before the SIT in May
2008. He had then talked about how the conspiracy theory with
regard to the Godhra train burning incident was floated by a
top-ranking police officer.
In that statement, he had also mentioned how Commandant
Khurshid Ahmed at the State Reserve Police (SRP) camp in
Naroda-Patiya succumbed to pressure from higher authorities
and BJP leaders, resulting in massacre of 95 persons from the
minority community on February 28, 2002.
Sreekumar said that he was writing the letter to "people
of India" as the last resort.
"For any helpless citizen, being dismayed over the
inadequate response from the powers that be, an appeal to the
real sovereigns is the last relief and remedy," letter says.
The former DGP said that he had submitted substantial
evidence about sabotage of criminal justice system by the Modi
government before the SIT through his nine affidavits and
several letters.
"But SIT has been turning a Nelson's eye to any evidence
incriminating to CM Narendra Modi and his collaborators".
"What could be the potential force prompting SIT for
taking such an unabashed pro-Modi line in investigation of Mrs
(Zakia) Jaffery's petition?" Sreekumar asked.
Evidence submitted by Sreekumar includes that related to
alleged intimidation of witnesses, use of rewards and
punishment to coerce officers to implement Modi government's
agenda of 'Hindu sectarian mobilisation' after the Godhra
train incident, anti-minority violence, fake encounters, etc.
In his statement before SIT on May 9, 2008, Sreekumar had
stated that he was told by the then DGP, K Chakarvarthi, that
Central IB Joint Director, Ahmedabad, Rajendra Kumar, had come
up with the theory of ISI conspiracy behind Godhra incident.
With regard to Naroda-Patiya riots, Sreekumar had told
the SIT that on the morning of February 28, 2002, he was
informed by the SRPF group II commandant, Khurshid Ahmed that
a group of over 500 Muslims including women and children were
requesting shelter as they were being chased by armed mobs led
by VHP workers.
Sreekumar claimed that he had ordered Ahmed to open the
SRPF campus gates immediately and later sent a fax message
confirming his oral order.
But there was a pathetic and deplorable post-script in
the whole affair. It is learnt from SRPF officers that by the
afternoon of 28.2.2002, under pressure from higher authorities
and BJP leaders, the Commandant had closed the gates to the
refugees without informing me," according to the statement.
"Consequently, in front of SRPF Group-II entrance, nearly
100-130 Muslims were killed, many women were gang-raped and
dead bodies were dumped in a nearby abandoned well."
Sreekumar said that he had informed the DGP about the
SRPF and his orders to Ahmed to allow those seeking shelter
inside the barracks.
"Then the DGP told me about a meeting convened by the
Chief Minister Narendra Modi, on 27/2/2002 late evening, and
his verbal instructions to officers "to allow Hindus to give
vent to their anger," Sreekumar claimed.
"In my view, there is substantial chain of evidence to
establish that the anti-minority genocide, following the
Godhra train fire incident, was conceived, designed,
organised, prepared and perpetrated by the then CM of Gujarat
State Narendra Modi, his cabinet colleagues and Sangh Pariwar
leaders."
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 02, 2012, 21:42