Ehsan Jafri was among the 68 people killed in the Gulberg Society, Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002
The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided on April 13 to hear the petition filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of slain MP Ehsan Jafri, challenging the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 riots, saying it entertained any request for adjournment Will not do On the next date.
Justice A.M. Constitution Bench.
However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared on behalf of the Gujarat government and opposed the stay petition and demanded hearing of the case next week. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of the SIT (Special Investigation Team), also opposed the postponement letter, and said that the matter should be decided. “Put the matter up for hearing on April 13. No request for adjournment will be entertained,” the bench ordered which also included justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Krishna Murari.
The apex court in February last year fixed the hearing of the case for April 14, 2020 and said that the case has been adjourned several times and will be heard someday.
Earlier, Jafri’s counsel had told the apex court that there was a need to issue a notice in the petition as it pertains to an alleged “big conspiracy” from February 27, 2002 to May 2002.
Ehsan Jafri was among the 68 people killed in the Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002, 59 people were killed in the burning of Godhra of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express and sparked riots in Gujarat.
On 8 February 2012, the SIT filed a closure report giving a clean chit to Modi and 63 others, including senior government officials, stating that there was “no prosecution evidence” against him.
Ms. Jafri filed a petition in the apex court in 2018, challenging the Gujarat High Court’s order of October 5, 2017, dismissing her petition against the SIT’s decision.
The petition also stated that after the SIT gave a clean chit to the trial judge in its closure report, the petitioner lodged a protest, which the magistrate dismissed without considering “certified merit”.
It was also stated that the High Court “failed to appreciate” the petitioner’s complaint which was independent of the Gulberg case lodged at the Meghninagar police station.
The High Court in its October 2017 order stated that the SIT investigation was monitored by the Supreme Court. However, it partially allowed Zakia Jaffrey’s plea as far as a further inquiry was sought.
It added that the petitioner may knock at the door of a proper forum, comprising a magistrate’s court, a bench of the High Court or the Supreme Court, seeking further investigation.
Leave a Reply