R.K. Raghavan, who headed the Special Investigation Team that inquired into Zakia Jafri's complaint against Narendra Modi and 61 others for their alleged involvement in the 2002 anti-Muslim violence, said on Monday that the Gujarat government had not funded his trips to London, as alleged in a section of the press, and he was pained by the suggestion that he had compromised his position by accepting a favour.
Clarifying on the two trips made by him in 2008 and 2009 on the London-Ahmedabad-London sector, Mr. Raghavan said he was already in London on a private visit and instead of going from Chennai to Ahmedabad for urgent SIT work, he travelled from London and back.
Economy class
“On both occasions I travelled to Ahmedabad to attend to Supreme Court-ordered work at great personal inconvenience interrupting my other responsibilities. Although I was entitled to Executive Class travel on SIT work, I travelled Economy from London to Ahmedabad and back to London on both the occasions. My return air ticket cost me less than Rs. 40,000 each time. On the other hand if I had travelled from Chennai [instead of from London] to Ahmedabad and got back to Chennai after attending to SIT work by Executive class [which I normally do when I am in India] that would have cost the State government about Rs. 65,000 each time. This means that I saved the government Rs. 50,000 on the two trips I made to Ahmedabad from London by travelling economy. To say that the State government favoured me by sending me to London is mischievous and utter falsehood with a view to maligning me, and that too when I am abroad and without checking facts from me or the Gujarat government,” Mr. Raghavan said.
Keywords: SIT chief, R.K. Raghavan, Zakia Jafri case, Godhra riots, 2002 riots, Narendra Modi
Mr Kumar , the whole media in this country went on a rampage against
Modi because a couple of people came out and said a few lines that
have been supposed to be said by Modi . Those lines were so ghastly
that the whole nation believed that Modi did that . Not many in the media for a moment showed restraint to think if those so called whistle blowers had their own designs . 'The Hindu' atleast has the decency to widely publish SIT findings , which was a rigorous and a meticulous investigation findings . Magazines like Tehelka are not giving up even now . They simply dont want the country to listen to an impartial investigation report . Any investigator absolving Modi is corrupt , what is this blind fury ?
some people here who dsnt evn hav d basic knowedge of d fact dat SC ordered guj govt 2 manage all the expenditure incurred relating to SIT and itms mbrs...may b people like mr nair can blame SC bench for ordering guj govt to sponsor travel cost of mr. raghvan and othr membrs..wud suggest these fellows to do some basic fact checking before sayng anythg
The general public cannot be perennially cynical about every public
authority and still claim to be an believer in democracy. It needs to
be classified as typical Indian-style "democratic hypocrisy".
If we tend to believe that the SIT Chief will stoop for a two-way
London - India air ticket, it reflects poorly on we the people and our
attitude towards democratic institutions.
The report submitted by Mr Raghavan is fully fabricated at the description of the existing government. Who will believe that so many people killed and finally a report is submitted by thus appointed SIT claiming and absolving the responsibilities of the government who is the custodian of people. He had been carrying the history of clean and credentiable officer finally got corrupt like a man becoming a thief one day out of his compulsions. Is anybody would trust this report. I am sure Supreme Court is going to ignore his report.
This clarification doesn't stand the test of reasoning. Everything doesn't seem right. It is really sad what makes people turn a blind eye to the facts and try their best to save perpetrators of such a scale of violence.
May God save this nation. One day truth will win. Satyameve Jayte. Jai Hind.
On the previous comment:
As SIT Chief he was entitled to travel from Chennai (his residence) to
Gujarat in executive class on government expenses, which costs around
65000/-. The economy class ticket from London costs 40000/-. As per TA
rules one can undertake journey from any source to the headquarter as
long as fair is lower than entitled rout. The explanation is so clear
but sadly zeal to prove something by hook or by crook makes people
forget basic Arithmetic.
Another Kiran Bedi?
Modi bashing is the order of the day by the "Secular" Press. Any one who gives clean chit to Mr Narendra Modi basing on the facts of enquiry has to face this kind of ignominy of questioning. Mr.R.K. Raghavan has been selected by Supreme Court to head the SIT and he has given the Report of his findings to the Court. All the enquiry Commissions have come to the same conclusion about non-involvement of Mr.Modi. Let us leave the decision to the learned Judges of the highest Court of the Land.
Mr. RK Raghavan does not directly say who paid for the trip! But it
is clear from his statement that he "saved the government Rs. 50,000
on the two trips", that his two way foreign air travel was paid for
by the Government. Gujarat Government? If so, the allegation that
Modi's trip was "sponsored" by the Gujarat Government is not without
basis.
I wonder if his "entitlement" for business class air travel to Ahmedabad & back includes travel from anywhere in the world! If he was at New York, he would have "saved the Government" even more money by making them pay for his to & fro economy class air tickets! His justification for claiming air tickets from London & back is as weak as his exoneration of Modi for the manner in which rioters had a field day in 2002.
Incredible. The difference between economy and business/executive class is much higher than what Mr.Raghavan claims. From personal experience it just cannot be a mere 25000 rupees difference. Has to be much higher.
There are many who can not be corrupted by money. That does not mean that they can not be corrupted at all.
From the begning I have some doubt about Mr Ragavan. Now it is getting murky.who know there will be deal between him and Mr Modi when BJP in power he will be given nice position in center for the job he done.
Shame on India's filthy newsmedia. Anti Modi brigade is not just crazy, but now becoming mentally sick.
It is a pity that an honest police officer should be hounded by the "secular" media like this just because the SIT report did not indict Mr Modi.
Mr Raghavan - Don't take it seriously; Times of india is not reporting
news of facts but does news of fiction. Teesta & co are in collaboration
with Times of india reporter to propagate their side of stories with
twisted context
Private Secretaries. Private chats. Top, Middle and Bottom. Bottoms get wet, not Tops when they go first class and Middles watch. Can't help it! Get along with it. Bye now.
It is a pity that a straightforward officer of integrity is being forced
to defend himself about patently silly accusations. Perhaps that is the
prize one has to pay in these days of cut-throat politics.
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