Gujarat Riots : Mukul Rohatgi Defends SIT Clean Chit To Narendra Modi - Live Updates From Zakia Jafri's Case In Supreme Court Hearing
Rohatgi: Now Milord see 261 top. This is about parading (dead bodies from Godhra to Ahmedabad). I have given synopsis to your lordship of this parading. Now see what they have done. I want to read this.
Rohatgi: Jaydeep Patel and Kodnani accused in Naroda Gaam, trial is going on. Babu convicted in Pateya and facing trial in Gaam. This Erda was a Police officer, was chargesheeted, but acquitted.
Rohatgi: So, what they have done is wherever there are general paragraphs, they have culled it out. Now 245 para b, the paragraphs are verbatim from the affidavits of Shreekumar.
Rohatgi: Para h, Kodnani, Jaydeep and Babu and Erda are chargesheeted and tried. Kodnani was arrested, was convicted in Naroda Pateya. If SIT was partisan then would not have arrested a sitting Minister.
Rohatgi: In Para 8, we have culled out allegations of people in govt. We examined all these people. At the bottom you will find the allegation why did you not take action on Shreekumar’s affidavit.
Rohatgi: We have culled out some 30-40 allegation. Kindly see 14, unkind and untrue allegation on deployment of army. item 15 is Pro VHP PPs. The SIT has paraphrased every allegation made. I am not reading, but kindly note that they (SIT) had culled out some 30 allegations.
Rohatgi: What did the police do wrong? They said, come and record the statement and the same you be placed before the judge.
Rohatgi: Kindly turn to 236, your lordship will find the background.
Mr. Rohatgi emphasized that when Zakia appeared before Mahapatra, she was not ready to make a statement until her complaint was registered as FIR.
Rohatgi: This is the flavour of the complaint and everything Mr. Sibal has argued is not here. Because it was the mandate of the SC, see to what extent the SIT goes (to investigate).
Rohatgi: My juniors are saying it(allegations) is cut copy. This goes on and on till Mr. Murmu. Just mark Shreekumar, Rahul Sharma. Sanjeev Bhat or that meeting of political honchos of 27, my friend chooses not to say anything, so I will also not say anything.
Rohatgi: Each one of these fellows were examined by the SIT. In the hindsight one would say why do you examine when no allegation. Here accusation is general and now it is becoming specific.
Rohatgi: The accusation is that because you are VHP. Now, Babu Bajrangi. He is convicted and facing trial in another case and stung by the operation. He wears three caps.
Rohatgi: pg 101 - allegation against each of the accused. All of them were completely general. Kindly see, Anil Patel became a minister later, he was a business man at the time of the riots.