SIT probe on Zakia Jaffery allegations complete

The Supreme Court was told that the Special Investigation Team probing the Gujarat riots completed its inquiry into allegations levelled by the wife of a former Congress MP, Zakia Jaffery, that Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his close aides aided and abetted the carnage in which her husband was killed.

The statement in this regard was made by the SIT in its fresh status report filed before a Special Bench headed byJustice D K Jain. "It has been stated that the investigation into the allegations of Zakiya Jaffery has been completed and further step will be taken in accordance with the law," the Bench, also comprising Justices P Sathasivam and Aftab Alam, said after perusing the report which was placed before it in a sealed cover.

Zakia in her complaint alleged that Modi and 62 others, including his cabinet colleagues, police officials and senior bureaucrats aided and abetted the riots which left over 1,000 people dead. Her husband Ehsan Jaffery was killed along with 69 others by a mob at Gulburg society in Ahmedabad. Modi was questioned by the SIT. The apex court had on April 27, 2009 asked the SIT to inquire into Zakia's complaint Zakia had approached the apex court after the Gujarat High Court refused on November 3, 2007 to give any direction and asked her to seek redressal before the magistrate's court.

The wife of the slain Congress leader had alleged that between February and May 2002 there was a "deliberate and intentional failure" of the state government to protect the life and property of innocents. The SIT also recorded statements of a number of persons which include former minister of state for Home Gordhan Zadafia, BJP leader I K Jadeja, former BJP MLA from Lunawada, Kalu Malivad and sitting MLA from Mehsana, Anil Patel, former IPS officer R B Sreekumar, social activist Teesta Setalvad, IG Shivanand Jha, some other senior police officers and political leaders.

The apex court on October 26 has asked the special court to go ahead with trial of the Gulbarga society case but has asked it not to not pronounce its judgement. The 10 cases being monitored by SIT on the earlier directions of the apex court are -- Gulbarga Society, Ode, Sardarpura, Narodao Gaon, Naroda Patya, Baranpura, Machipith, Tarsali, Pandarwada and Raghavapura.