Gujarat riots: SIT opposes Jafri’s demand for further probe

The special investigation team (SIT) on Thursday opposed in the Gujarat High Court the demand by Zakia Jafri for further investigation against the agency's closure report on her complaint regarding the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

Jafri's husband and former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri was killed in the riots. She has alleged a wider conspiracy, involving the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others, behind the riots. The Supreme Court-appointed SIT, in its report on her complaint before the magistrate, <g data-gr-id="16">however</g> gave a clean chit to all of them.

The Supreme Court, at all stages, was satisfied with the investigation of SIT, said senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan, SIT lawyer, arguing before Justice Sonia Gokani on Thursday.

The magistrate who upheld SIT's closure report could not have ordered further probe (as demanded by Jafri) because it would have been contrary to the Supreme Court's order, he said. "Had the magistrate directed further investigation, not only he would be sitting on the Supreme Court judgement, but it would be contrary to the Supreme Court judgement.

"The Supreme Court had satisfied itself on all the reports submitted (by SIT) and initially it also directed further investigation," he said.