The Special Investigation Team (SIT) which probed the post-Godhra riots of 2002 said on Wednesday that everyone of the cases it investigated led to convictions.
Appearing before a Bench led by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said trial court had used the evidence collected by the SIT to reach its conclusions on the guilt of the accused persons.
Previously, the SIT had maintained that it had done an impeccable job of the investigation. Mr. Rohatgi said the SIT had often walked the extra mile to meet the ends of justice.
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The SIT was countering allegations made by Zakia Jafri, the widow of Congress leader Ehsan Jafri who was killed by a mob, of “collaboration” with conspirators. Ms. Jafri alleged a larger conspiracy behind the riots.
Mr. Rohatgi said the SIT had examined the then Chief Minister, members of the Cabinet at that time, top police officers and bureaucrats. He said the allegations of a “larger conspiracy” behind the riots was baseless. The role of every accused was looked into by the SIT.
Accusations of “collaboration” by SIT were reckless, he had submitted.
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The SIT had filed a closure report in February 2012. It had given a clean chit to Mr. Modi, the current Prime Minister, and 63 others, including senior government officials, saying there was “no prosecutable evidence” against them.
A ‘protest petition’ filed by Ms. Jafri against the clean chit was dismissed by the Magistrate. The Gujarat High Court too, in October 2017, refused to entertain Ms. Jafri, who had then moved the apex court.