Highlights of SIT’s argument against Jafri’s complaint on third day


Ahmedabad, 26 April 2013

Following are the highlights of SIT lawyer RS Jamuar’s arguments in court on third day.

-Zakia Jafri’s complaint, at the behest of Teesta Setalvad and retired ADGP R B Sreekumar, contains nothing but irrelevant things, most of which are part of records of the Nanavati Commission.

-Most of the allegations in Zakia’s complaint were directly extracted from various affidavits filed by R B Sreekumar before retired Justice G T Nanavati-Akshay Mehta Commission.This material has no value for any judicial process before any civil or criminal court.

-Sreekumar nurtures disgruntlement against the state government, as he felt he was denied promotion to the post of Director rpt Director General of Police. He began complaining about the government and Modi only after he was superceded.

-Appointments of ‘pro-ruling party’ advocates as public prosecutors in rioting cases, the Chief Minister’s public address during an election rally on September 19, 2002, early closing down of relief camps set up for riot affected people and transfers as well as promotions of certain IPS and IAS officers – all these incidences are totally irrelevant to the commission of offence raised in the complaint, as these occurred long after riots stopped.

-On February 28, a full police force was there at the Gulbarg Society with the Station Head Officer (SHO) of Meghaninagar K G Erda. They were at the front gates of the society, but rioters broke its backside wall and started the violence. What could the police do?

-There is no truth in Jafri’s complaint that there was delay in calling the army. As per evidence gathered, at 2 pm on February 28, the government wrote to the central government and sought the army’s help. However, the army too had a crunch of personnel and its first batch was airlifted to Ahmedabad on March 2.

-Chief Minister Narendra Modi was in constant touch with the central government. What more you can expect from this man? Should the chief minister have taken an AK-47 in his hand and gone out to contain the riots” .

-Citing IPS officer Rahul Sharma’s reported admission that Ehsan Jafri had opened fire on the mob, Jamuar said, “At least it was admitted that there was firing…..there was procession. Under this circumstances, nothing could have been done.”

-After the incident of Ehsan Jafri’s firing, situation went out of the control. There is evidence in this regard.

The case will be further heard on Monday.