NRIs file transfer petition in SC, ask Modi to furnish damages

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) Three Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from England have filed transfer petitions in the Supreme Court seeking transfer of three suits claiming damages worth about Rs 26 crores from Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the state Chief Secretary and other senior police officials for the killing of their family members during the 2002 Godhra communal violence.

According to the petitioners Shameema Dawood, Sheerin Dawood and one Imran, they lost their four or five family members in the incident in Sabharkantha district of the state and also their driver was killed. The two women petitioners lost their husbands in the incident. Imran, somehow managed to escape from the clutches of the rioters.

Transfer petitions are coming up for hearing in the apex court on July 31, 2006. The suit numbers 39-41 of 2004, each claiming a damage of Rs 8,61,68,750 are pending in Sabarkantha district court.

Transfer petitions seeking transfer of criminal cases outside state of Gujarat are already pending in the apex court.

The petitioners have claimed in their suits that the defendants, including Mr Modi, state Chief Secretary, the then state DGP, IG(CID), IG(Range) and Vigilance Commissioner and Gordhan bhai, Congress MLA and a close associate of Narendra Modi, are personally liable to pay the damages.

According to the petitioners, state district judiciary is somehow getting influenced and frivolous applications claiming that the plaintiffs being foreigners, their suit should be dismissed.

According to the petitioner, the suits which are pending since 2004 have not made any progress during the last two years due to frequent adjournment on frivolous grounds.

UNI AKS/SC KD KN1532