SPPS NAMED FOR 7 GUJARAT CASES

The Gujarat state Legal Department on June 8 announced the names of Special Public Prosecutors (SPPs) for seven of the nine 2002 riot cases being investigated by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT). The department also named eight advocates who will be acting as assistant public prosecutors of the seven SPPs. Two more SPPs for the Gulberg Society massacre and Malav Bhagol riot cases of Ode village are likely to be appointed soon. Out of the 15 names announced, only N N Prajapati is a public prosecutor at present. He is the Additional Public Prosecutor in the Ahmedabad City Sessions Court. The SPPs will get Rs 15,000 per appearance, while their assistants will get Rs 5,000 as remuneration. In the Godhra train carnage case, senior criminal advocate J M Panchal has been appointed as the SPP. He is to be assisted by two advocates, Alpesh Kogje and Narendra Prajapati. The proceedings of the case are going on at the designated fast-track court set up inside the Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad.