In fresh trouble for Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging the probe by the special investigation team against him and 62 others during the 2002 riots.
Justice D H Vaghela dismissed the petition filed by former BJP MLA Kalu Malivad (one of the 62) stating that no relief could be granted in the case as the SIT was directly working under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
Malivad had filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court demanding a stay on investigations by Supreme Court-appointed SIT with regard to a complaint made by one Zakia Jaffrey.
Zakia, whose husband ex-MP Ehsan Jaffrey was killed during the riots in Gulburg society along with 39 others, had alleged in her complaint that Modi, his cabinet colleagues, police officials and senior bureaucrats aided and abetted the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
Malivad, one of the persons named in Zakia's complaint, in his petition, had demanded stay on investigations and directions from the court to restrain SIT from arresting persons named in the complaint, including Modi.
Malivad contended that the apex court had asked SIT to "look into" the complaint, and this does not empower it to investigate the case according to the provisions of CrPC as no FIR was registered in the matter.
