Supreme Court affirms Narendra Modi’s SIT clean chit; rejects Zakia Jafri’s plea: Gujrat Riots

Zakia Ahsan Jafri vs Gujarat, the Supreme Court dismissed Zakia Jafri’s petition challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clean chit in the 2002 Gujarat riots.No evidence suggested a bigger criminal plot on the side of the State that resulted in violence, according to the Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari, and CT Ravikumar’s bench. The Court, therefore, ruled that the SIT’s report ought to be held as final.On December 8, 2021, the Court had reserved judgement.The SIT members “came out with flying colours undamaged,” according to the Bench, who praised them for their “indefatigable labour.”The epithet “disgruntled” was also used to describe a number of Gujarati officials, notably former state DGP RB Sreekumar.Ehshan Jafri was slain during the Gujarat riots at Gulbarg Society.The petition challenged Gujarat High Court’s 2017 judgement. The High Court confirmed the Magistrate’s decision to accept the SIT’s closure report and dismissed Jafri’s appeal contesting it.Zakia Jafri filed a complaint with the then-Director General of Police of Gujarat in 2006, demanding a FIR under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (Punishment for Murder). The accusation was against numerous bureaucrats and politicians, including Gujarat’s then-CM Modi.In 2008, the highest court formed a SIT to report on riot-related trials and to probe Jafri’s complaint.The SIT report cleared Modi, and in 2011, the Supreme Court ordered the SIT to submit its closure report to the Magistrate. The petitioner might raise objections to the findings.The petitioner opposed the closure report after receiving a copy in 2013.Jafri’s petition to overturn the SIT’s closure report was denied. The Gujarat High Court confirmed the Magistrate’s verdict and rejected Jafri’s petition in 2017.Jafri and activist Teesta Setalvad petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the SIT’s clean chit.During the hearing, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal argued the SIT didn’t analyse all relevant material and was biassed. He said the government spread hatred.