Amicus Curiae RajuRamachandran’s report has provided relief to the victims of the Gujarat 2002 riots.
He has also expressed strong disagreement with the SIT on the credibility of Sanjiv Bhatt’s claim regarding his presence in a meeting between top police officers and the Gujarat CM along with other ministers.
The Special Investigation Team led by retired CBI director R K Raghavan had concluded that Sanjiv Bhatt’s claim that he was present at the meeting where Narendra Modi asked top police officers to look the other way while Hindu rioters went on a killing spree, cannot be believed as Sanjiv Bhatt has an axe to grind with the Gujarat government.
It is has been alleged by Gujarat cop Sanjiv Bhatt that, in a high-level meeting held in the immediate aftermath of the riots at Narendra Modi\\\’s residence, illegal instructions were issued by Narendra Modi to senior police officers and bureaucrats "not to deal with the Hindu rioting mobs".
In his report to the court, the Amicus Curiae has said “though the SIT, as the investigating agency, has taken a view, the question whether Bhatt was present at the meeting on 27.02.2002 and whether Modi had indeed made such a statement (as spoken to by Bhatt) can only be decided by a court of law. It would not be correct to disbelieve the version of Bhatt, at this prima facie stage,on the various grounds set out by the SIT or because other participants in the meeting have denied (either categorically, or to the best of their memory) his presence and the alleged statement made by Modi.
RajuRamachandran further says, ”the offences which can be made out against Modi, at this prima facie stage, are offences inter aliaunder Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups)(1) (a) & (b), 153B (1) (c), 166 and 505 (2) of the IPC.
To read the entire report, click here.