Explained: Who is Zakia Jafri and what are her complaints

New Delhi, Jan 05: The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed April 14 for hearing a plea by Zakia Jafri, wife of slain MP Congress Ehsan Jafri, challenging the SIT's clean chit to then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 riots. The apex court said that the matter had been adjourned many times and as it will have to hear it someday the court listed the matter asking all to be available for the hearing on the due date.

"This matter has been adjourned so many times, whatever it is, we will have to hear it someday. Take one date and make sure you all are available," said a bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and A M Khanwilkar.

Jafri's lawyer advocate Aparna Bhatt said that the matter is a contentious one and sought adjournment of the matter till after the Holi vacation next month.

She though said senior advocate Kapil Sibal would argue on behalf of Jafri.

The Jafri case has been adjourned five times since the petition was filed in 2018.

Jafri's counsel told the top court that notice needs to be issued in the plea as the plea relates to an alleged "larger conspiracy" of riots and continued violence from February 27 to May 2002.

Who is Zakia Jafri

Zakia Jafri is the widow of Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was brutally murdered in the 2002 Gulberg Society massacre that took place day after Godhra genocide in Gujarat on February 27.

The couple was sheltering their neighbours from a violent mob during the attack as a mob of thousands gathered outside the residential colony.

Ehsan stepped out for mercy to the mob for the people he was sheltering and murdered in the process.

Jafri Zakia, who had hidden on a room on the first floor, survived the attack.

Gulbarg Society massacre in 2002

Gulbarg Society was tagged as an upper and middle class residential colony in north Ahmedabad.

The massacre took place a day after the Godhra train fire, in which 59 pilgrims were charred to death.

Hatred was torching all over Gujarat as it was the Gulberg's turn to be the victim.

Residents sought shelter at Jafri's bungalow as houses were set on fire one after another.

The rioters did not spare the former parliamentarian as they lynched him and torched his bungalow that killed 69 people include Ehsan Jafri.

The trial court described the massacre as the "darkest day in the history of civil society of Gujarat."

The first complaint in the Zakia Jafri case

On June 8, 2006, Zakia Jafri filed an FIR against 63 people which include the then chief minister of Gujarat and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top ministers, MLAs, IAS and IPS officers, and political leaders.

The timeline

Now 80, Jafri has been fighting for justice for her slain husband since 2006.

The June 8, 2006 complaint did not get any response and Jafri filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court praying that her complaint be treated as FIR. But the High Court dismissed this complaint.

Zakia Jafri then moved Supreme Court against the order passed on November 2, 2007, by the Gujarat High Court.

On February 8, 2012, the Special Investigation Team filed a closure report giving a clean chit to Narendra Modi and 63 others.

Jafri then filed a plea in Gujarat High Court against the SIT decision in 2017 and as it was rejected she filed the petition in 2018 in the apex court against Gujarat High Court's October 5, 2017 order.
Since the petition was filed in 2018 the case has been adjourned five times till now.

Are Zakia Jafri case and Gulberg case same?

Both the cases are distinct as Zakia Jafri case seeks the justice for the massacre that took place at Gulberg Society, the Gulberg case deals with criminal and administrative liability.