Terming its probe as a “good job”, chief of the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team R.K. Raghavan on Tuesday said closure was recommended in post-Godhra Gulberg massacre case as the team could not find evidence against the people named in the petition including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
“We have filed the report saying no evidence on the contents of a particular petition was available and recommended the closure,” Mr. Raghavan told reporters.
When asked whether this meant that all the persons named in the petition which includes Mr. Modi are now “off the hook”, Mr. Raghavan said, “I don’t say that. It is for the court to decide. I am not the master. Court has to take a view.”
ADVERTISEMENT
He said court has started initial proceedings by directing the team to provide all the material to complainant Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was among 69 persons killed in the Gulberg society carnage.
Mr. Raghavan said the material would be provided within a month after which the complainant could move to court and seek further directives.
On the reactions of activists including Teesta Setalvad terming the report as disappointment, he said, “It is their perception and they are entitled to hold that perception.”
ADVERTISEMENT
About the divergent views taken by the amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran and his team, former CBI Director Raghavan said “it was a fact” but refused to go into further details.
He said court would review all the material submitted by them and would take a point of view.
When asked whether he was satisfied with the probe, he said, “Absolutely. I am very happy the way our officers have worked. They are the men of integrity and very hard workers. They have done a good job. We told facts to the court.”