The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) today recorded the statement of former Gujarat Minister Maya Kodnani, an accused in a 2002 post-Godhra riot case. The statement was recorded on a complaint filed by Zakia, whose husband Ehsan Jaffery, a former Congress MP was killed along with 69 others in a riot at Gulburg Society in Ahmedabad, SIT officials said.
'We want to contribute our bit to the issue. We are ready to do anything and help fight this problem. But remember, we also need support and not suspicion,' says Haj House Imam Ghulam Yahya Baksh
The Special Investigating Team probing the 2002 post-Godhra riot cases was prejudiced against him, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia alleged on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Gujarat government to furnish without delay all documents, including the alleged inflammatory speeches made by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, to the Special Investigation Team probing the post-Godhra 2002 communal riots in the state. "According to SIT, the statement made by the chief minister has some relevance. What is wrong if you make it available," the bench said while directing the Gujarat government to hand over the documents.
Moulana Naseeruddin, was acquitted along with 12 others by a Gujarat Prevention of Terrorist Activities court on Wednesday in an Inter Services Intelligence backed terror conspiracy case, in a bid to avenge the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani has said he had some political differences with his long time colleague and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpyee especially on the Ayodha movement and the removal of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after the Godhra riots.
The Congress on Monday attacked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for not appearing before the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team in connection with a post-Godhra riots case, saying it only proves he has a 'guilty conscience' and has a 'lot to hide'. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said if Modi 'genuinely' has respect for law and the court, he should appear before the SIT within the given time.
According to Girish Patel, human rights activist and senior advocate of Gujarat high court, Modi could easily avoid SIT till some time in April when the Supreme Court is likely to examine a proprietary and legal issue raised by Ram Jethmalani over the constitution of the SIT by the apex court. Ram Jethmalani is representing one of the accused in the Gulbarg Society case where Ehsan Jafri and 68 people were killed by the mob on February 28, 2002.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is likely to skip his scheduled appearance on Sunday before the Special Investigation Team probing a post-Godhra riots case, sources in the state government said on Saturday. The SIT had summoned Modi on Sunday in connection with the complaint of Jakia Jaffery, wife of slain former Member of Parliament Eshan Jaffery, in the Gulburg society riot case. The SIT had not received any communication from the chief minister till today evening.
Attacking Congress president Sonia Gandhi over her "silence" on the Bhopal gas tragedy verdict, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi asked her to explain who was the 'Maut ka saudagar' (merchant of death).
The Special Investigation Team probing the alleged role of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in post-Godhra killing of ex-Congress Member of Parliament Ehasan Jafri on Friday submitted its report to the Supreme Court.
Former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt wants BJP chief Amit Shah to be made a respondent for allegedly foisting wrong criminal cases against him, former additional solicitor general Indira Jaising tells Prasanna Zore/Rediff.com
The Gujarat government on Friday stated that the Supreme Court did not have the power to stay the ongoing trial in the post-Godhra communal riots case and that the Special Investigation Team instituted by it cannot summon Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other accused in the murder of ex-Congress MP Ehsan Jafri during the riots.
While the task for the Special Investigation team (SIT) could be over with the questioning of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi some of his key cabinet colleagues are yet to be quizzed about their role in post-Godhra riots.
The Congress on Monday made light of Narendra Modi's defence of Amitabh Bachchan dubbing him as a "frustrated" Chief Minister in the wake of his marathon questioning by the Special Invesigation Team in connection with a post-Godhra riots case.
The three of the total 16 accused were held guilty in an order pronounced on April 20.
The 74-year-old R K Shah speaks about why he quit as a special public prosecutor, the problems he faced in trying to get the accused convicted and whether there is eveidence against Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in the case.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has not so far responded to the summons issued by the Special Investigation team to appear before it on Saturday in connection with the 2002 post-Godhra riots even as his office remained tight-lipped over the matter.
Gujarat Chief Secretary G R Aloria confirmed the development. "Services of Sanjiv Bhatt have been terminated," he said.
With the Special Investigation Team summoning Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for questioning in connection with the post-Godhra riots, the Congress on Friday demanded that he should quit on moral grounds.
Zakia Jaffery, wife of slain ex-MP Ehsan Jaffery, on Thursday welcomed the special investigation team's move to summon Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for questioning with regard to a post-Godhra riots case.
The Gujarat snooping controversy on Tuesday reached the Supreme Court, with suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma urging it to take cognisance of the audio tapes aired by news portals, saying it contains proof of how the state government had tried to frame him in "frivolous" cases.
The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing on a petition challenging the probe by Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team into Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 62 others' alleged involvement in 2002 post-Godhra riots till July 17.
Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani, who remained elusive for past five days and was declared an absconder, surfaced on Friday, a day after a Ahmedabad court granted her anticipatory bail in connection with post-Godhra riots cases.
The victims of the 2002 post-Godhra violence criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, for not appearing before the Special Investigation Team in Ahmedabad in connection with a riots case and asked him to come clean.
In an open letter to Indians, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has claimed that he was not summoned by the Special Investigation Team probing the post-Godhra riots on March 21, as reported by the media. He also states that he will respond to the SIT 'keeping in view the dignity of a body appointed by the Supreme Court'.
Whatever the SIT's verdict, and however long it may take, Modi must come clean and explain his role. He has no option but to try and win over those he has alienated.
Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh on Saturday said he had sought removal of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after the post-Godhra communal riots and even opposed L K Advani's 'Ram Rathyatra'.
The Gujarat High Court on Friday declined to stay the fresh probe by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team or any other process against Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 62 others in connection with the post-Godhra riots cases in 2002.
Moulana Naseeruddin, a popular cleric, and 13 other youth were arrested by the Gujarat Police in 2003-2004 and lodged in the Sabarmati jail for almost six years, as the trial in POTA court dragged on.
Condemning BJP president Amit Shah's statement on 'exodus' of Hindus in Kairana, the opposition parties alleged that the statement has created anxiety and tension in Western Uttar Pradesh.
It is the hurt and bewilderment over the loss of a Gandhi to the saffron brigade that has made the media and anti-Hindutva politicos react with such venom and acid. He was not heard, not given a chance to present his case, nor did forensic experts examine the so-called proof in the form of a CD containing his speech.
The UK Crown Prosecution Service said Mallya's appeal to certify a point of law was rejected on all three counts, of hearing oral submissions, grant a certificate on the questions as drafted, and grant permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Nearly a year after it was set up by the Supreme Court, a high-powered Special Investigation Team probing the post-Gohdra riots cases in Gujarat has submitted its report before the apex judiciary.
The Gujarat government on Saturday transferred the state's controversial Director General of Police P C Pande, who had come under cloud during the post-Godhra communal riots in 2002, apparently to preempt such a move by the Election Commission, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. S S Khandwawala, who belongs to the minority community, was appointed as the new DGP. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner O P Mathur has also been shifted and replaced by H K Saikia.
Three days after she was declared as an absconder, Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani was on Thursday granted anticipatory bail by a local court in some post-Godhra riot cases of 2002 being probed afresh by a Supreme Court. appointed Special Investigating Team.
Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani wanted in a fresh probe into the gruesome attacks during the 2002 post-Godhra riots, remained elusive and skipped the weekly Cabinet meeting in Ahemdabad on Wednesday, as two police officers were grilled for their role during the communal clashes.
The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team on Tuesday began its inquiry into a complaint filed against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others in connection with the post-Godhra riots. "It can be officially said that we have begun an inquiry into the petition filed in the Supreme Court against some of the leading politicians in Gujarat," SIT chief R K Raghavan said. "This is just the first stage, we have a plan of action for the investigations," he said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to interfere with the appointment of P C Pande as the Director General of Police of Gujarat. An NGO -- Citizens for Justice and Peace -- had in 2006 challenged the appointment of Pande as DGP, alleging that several complaints relating to post-Godhra riots were pending against him. However, a bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and V S Sirpurkar said the petition has become redundant.
The Gujarat High Court has designated nine judges for as many special courts to carry out the trial in the 2002 post-Godhra riot cases being probed by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team.