Ahmedabad: An IPS officer from Meghalaya
cadre Y C Modi has been included in the Supreme Court
appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing Godhra
train burning incident and post-Godhra riot cases of 2002.
Modi, a 1984 batch IPS officer of rank of Inspector
General, was inducted recently when SIT chief R K Raghavan had
visited Gujarat, officials of the agency said.
Modi stayed here for two days and met staff involved in
investigation of riot cases, SIT officials said.
Appointment of Modi comes after the Supreme court order
in April this year to drop two members of the SIT - Geeta
Johri and Shivanand Jha from its team.
The court`s direction to the agency to disassociate Johri
and Jha from the team came after the NGO Centre for Peace and
Justice had made allegations against them that they were not
properly assisting the Special Public Prosecutor in the trial.
Following the order, Raghavan had requested Supreme Court
to induct two IPS officers in SIT in place of Johri and Jha.
His request was accepted by the apex court in May, which
directed the Union Home Ministry to place two IPS officers
identified by Raghavan. Request for appointment of one more
IPS officer was pending with Union Home Ministry, SIT
officials said.
Appointed by the Supreme Court in March 2008, the SIT has
investigated 10 riot cases like Naroda Patia, Naroda Gam,
Gulburg, Ode, Dipda Darwaja, Sardarpura, Prantij and Godhra
train burning incident.
Trial was on in all the cases in special courts set up
under apex court`s directive. The trial is being conducted on
day to day basis, by a designated judge.
Only the trial in the Godhra train burning incident is
being conducted inside the Sabarmati Central Jail here.
The SIT has also done inquiry into a complaint by Zakia,
Jaffery, whose husband ex-MP Ehsan Jaffrey was among the 69
killed during the 2002 riots in Gulburg society.
In the complaint Zakia had alleged that 63 persons,
including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet
colleagues, police officials and senior bureaucrats, aided and
abetted post-Godhra riots of 2002.
While probing the complaint the agency had questioned
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on March 27 for over nine
hours.
SIT had also recored statements of those named in Zakia`s
complaint, including former minister of state for Home Gordhan
Zadafia, BJP leader I K Jadeja, former BJP MLA from Lunawada
Kalu Malivad and sitting MLA from Mehsana Anil Patel, former
IPS officer R B Sreekumar, social activist Teesta Setalvad,
and some other senior police officers and political leaders.
-PTI
