Gujarat riots trial to begin in six fast track courts

In a move to expedite the trial of 2002 Gujarat riots, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the setting up of six fast track courts in five districts for conducting day-to-day trial after it vacated the stay on its trial.

The designated courts for riot cases would be set up in Ahmedabad, Gulbarga, Sabarkanta, Mehsana and Anand districts. The judges for these courts would be appointed by the Gujarat High Court Chief Justice.

The ruling came on the petition filed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking transfer of cases outside Gujarat. The court rejected the Commission’s plea.

A Bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Asok Kumar Ganguly also ordered the filing of additional chargesheets against new accused named by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) appointed by it.

The court also said that experienced lawyers would be appointed as special public prosecutors by the state government to conduct the trial in consultations with the SIT headed by former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director R.K. Raghavan.

The court directed the SIT to keep track of the trail and file quarterly report to the apex court, and also gave it liberty to recommend the cancellation of bail if it is considered necessary.

Regarding the protection of the witnesses, the court said the central force would protect them and if they still feel threat to their life they will be relocated in other states.

SIT led by the former CBI Director R K Raghavan was constituted by the Supreme Court on March 26, 2008 after the court had stayed the trial following a demand for CBI inquiry.

SIT was handed over the responsibility to inquire and investigate cases relating to Godhra carnage in which 59 people were slaughtered and subsequent riots in other places in Gujarat.

On April 27, 2009, the apex court taking into account the plea of Jakia Nasim Jafri, widow of ex-Congress MP Ahesan Jafri who was killed by a riot mob at Gulbarg Society, ordered the SIT to investigate the role of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the riots case, including several Cabinet ministers and police officers, and submit the reports within three months.