Ahmedabad, 12 September 2011

This is leader of opposition Shri Arun Jaitley’s statement before the media after Supreme Court verdict today:

“The BJP had always maintained that the allegations being made against Shri Narendra Modi in relation to 2002 riots were absolutely false and that there is not a threat of evidence with regard to his involvement in any of the incident connected with the unfortunate riots of 2002.”

“The Gujarat Police had investigated several cases and has already filed chargesheet where people who are guilty are being prosecuted. In some cases people are already punished and are in prison.”

“In nine important cases the SC entrusted the investigation to the SIT which was the independent agency. This special investigation team has already re-investigated the nine cases filed a chargsheet and there’s no evidence against Mr. Modi. After these nine cases reinvestigated, and chargesheet filed, in one of these nine cases of Gulbarga society a new petition was filed. The SC said let the SIT look into this also.”

“After looking into it a fresh chargesheet was filed. A fresh report was given. Again there doesn’t seem to be any significant evidence against him. Some objections were raised, some suggestions were made. Then again gone into whole question and a lot of mateial which was said in propaganda was found to be incorrect. The SC has now given effect to the due process of law, which is the supplementary chargesheet being filed. People who are being guilty must be prosecuted. Already in Gulbarga case the trail has reached in last phase. And therefore one aspect of justice is that trial must conclude, and judgement must come. We stand vindicated in the position that there is no evidence to connect Mr. Modi with crimes. We always maintained that position. Propaganda and falsehood is never a substitute of hard evidence and we are glad that this is now being accepted in various investigations.”

“The SC has referred matter to trial court. This is a due process of law. And we hope that this due process of law now go on.”

“Supreme Court doesn’t work as trial court. Supreme Court was just monitoring that the probe is right. Whether there’s evidence or not is a matter of SIT report.”