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Statements recorded prior to stay order: Guj to SC
Gujarat government on Monday told the Supreme Court that witnesses statements which supported the allegation of `fabricating` evidence in a post-Godhra riots case, were recorded prior to the stay of proceedings relating to it.
New Delhi: Gujarat government on Monday told the
Supreme Court that witnesses statements which supported the
allegation of "fabricating" evidence in a post-Godhra riots
case, purportedly at the behest of activist Teesta Setalvad,
were recorded prior to the stay of proceedings relating to it.
"Those statements were recorded before this court stayed the order of the Gujarat High Court," the state government submitted before a bench comprising justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai. Gujarat government counsel Hemantika Wahi was responding to the Bench`s question as to "how could the affidavit contain the statements of the witnesses as annexure when this court by an interim order had stayed the proceedings".
The counsel said investigation was carried out by the police and statements of witnesses were recorded on the order of the High Court which was later stayed by the apex court.
After a brief hearing, the bench extended its interim stay on the proceedings till further order and posted the matter for final hearing in July this year. The state government has placed an affidavit and annexed the statements of seven witnesses who recorded their evidence between July 22 and 25 last year before a senior police officer as per the order of a Ahmedabad court in connection with Naroda Gam case in which Setalvad`s former close aide Rais Khan Pathan is accused of fabricating the evidence.
Advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for Setalvad and her NGO, Citizen for Justice and Peace (CJP), expressed concern over the development and said "the situation is same" which arose in the Best Bakery riot case involving star witness Zahira Sheikh in which this court had appointed a committee.
The committee had indicted Zahira for "inducements" by "certain persons" to give "inconsistent" statements.
PTI
"Those statements were recorded before this court stayed the order of the Gujarat High Court," the state government submitted before a bench comprising justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai. Gujarat government counsel Hemantika Wahi was responding to the Bench`s question as to "how could the affidavit contain the statements of the witnesses as annexure when this court by an interim order had stayed the proceedings".
The counsel said investigation was carried out by the police and statements of witnesses were recorded on the order of the High Court which was later stayed by the apex court.
After a brief hearing, the bench extended its interim stay on the proceedings till further order and posted the matter for final hearing in July this year. The state government has placed an affidavit and annexed the statements of seven witnesses who recorded their evidence between July 22 and 25 last year before a senior police officer as per the order of a Ahmedabad court in connection with Naroda Gam case in which Setalvad`s former close aide Rais Khan Pathan is accused of fabricating the evidence.
Advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for Setalvad and her NGO, Citizen for Justice and Peace (CJP), expressed concern over the development and said "the situation is same" which arose in the Best Bakery riot case involving star witness Zahira Sheikh in which this court had appointed a committee.
The committee had indicted Zahira for "inducements" by "certain persons" to give "inconsistent" statements.
PTI