SIT BEGINS PROBE INTO MODI’S ROLE IN GUJARAT GENOCIDE

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team has begun its investigations into a complaint against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others in the case of February 28, 2002 Gulberg Society massacre in Ahmedabad. The complaint was filed by Mrs. Zakia Jafri, wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri. Mr. Ehsan Jafri was one of the 39 people burnt alive in the aftermath of Godhra train carnage. In her petition, Mrs. Zakia Jafri who claimed to be an eye witness named as accused 63 top politicians and bureaucrats and demanded a fresh probe into the incident. The Supreme Court asked the SIT to submit the report within three months. The SIT had investigated the Gulberg Society massacre, which is one of the nine cases handed over to it by the court for a fresh probe. Now it will look into the involvement – direct or indirect – of top politicians, bureaucrats and a senior police officer named in Mrs. Jafri’s complaint. SIT Chairman R.K. Raghavan told the journalists that the agency had begun investigations against some politicians and would proceed “step by step”. The probe would be conducted in an orderly manner, fair to both the complainant and the accused. Mr. Raghavan further said that the investigation was at a very preliminary stage but if need be the SIT would not hesitate to question the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi or any other senior politician or top bureaucrat.