SC tells SIT to approach High Court on Judge BJ Ganatra’s transfer

Ahmedabad, 11 May 2013

The Supreme Court has asked the Special Investigation Team(SIT) that probed the post-Godhra Gujarat riot cases to approach the Gujarat High Court with its plea that the transfer of metropolitan magistrate B.J. Ganatra be put on hold. SIT Chief RK Raghavan in his May 7, 2013 letter sought that the transfer be stayed till the hearing in the protest petition by Zakia Jaffri, challenging its closure report in Gulberg Society carnage, was completed.

The letter by the SIT chairman pointed out that when substantial hearing of the protest plea by Zaika Jaffri was over, on May 2, 2013, Ganatara was transferred in the general reshuffle of judicial officers in Gujarat.

The apex court bench of Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice M.Y. Eqbal in their chamber hearing on Friday said: “It is desirable to continue with the same presiding officer to dispose of the protest petition. Accordingly, we feel that it would be proper and expedient if this request is made by the chairman, SIT, before the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court on the administrative side.We are confident that having regard to the situation, the learned chief justice will pass appropriate orders on the request of the chairman, SIT.”