Gulburg Society case: SIT submits report in trial court

Ahmedabad, Jun 27: The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) today submitted report of its investigation against

Chief Minister

and others in a trial court hearing the 2002

in which 69 people were massacred during riots.

However, the SIT requested the trial court not to open the report, submitted in sealed covers, as the agency is set to challenge the trial court's order of production of report in the high court.

"Since the trial court has insisted for the production of the report, we have complied to it, but we are approaching the High Court to grant us time to submit all relevant documents of our probe in Zakia's complaint to this designated court," Special Public Prosecutor RC Kodekar, who appeared for SIT, said.

"Earlier also we had requested the court for the deferment of production of copy of SIT report till the metropolitan court takes its final decision on our recommendations and findings in Zakia Jafri's complaint," he said.

The designated judge BJ Dhandha granted one-month time to SIT to approach the high court, saying the court will open the report only after the high court has decided on the agency's plea and until then the report will be kept in sealed covers only and no cognisance will be taken.

As per the Supreme Court order, the SIT had earlier submitted its investigation report in the complaint of Zakia Jafri against Modi and 62 others, in a metropolitan court here. 69 people, including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, were killed in the Gulburg Society during 2002 communal riots.

The complainants, including the residents of the Society, had moved the designated trial court, seeking directions to SIT to submit the investigation report.

The court in its last hearing had directed the agency to produce the report and relevant documents pertaining to the Gulburg trial by June 27.

PTI