Zakia’s lawyers conclude arguments

LAWYERS REPRESENTING Zakia Jafri, wife of former Congress MP Ahsan Jafri who was killed in the Gulberg Society massacre during the 2002 riots in Gujarat, on Thursday concluded submissions before the Gujarat High Court. The court is hearing Jafri’s plea challenging the clean chit to then CM Narendra Modi and others in connection with the riots.

The Supreme Court appointed-sit will now defend its closure report that gave relief to Modi and 60 others, including several police officers and politicians. Jafri had alleged that Modi along with the other accused were responsible for widespread riots that were part of a “larger conspiracy”.

Appearing for Jafri, senior lawyer Mihir Desai argued that the SIT did not probe the case properly and ignored vital evidence. He also said statements of EX-IPS Sanjiv Bhatt, former DGP R B Sreekumar, EX-IPS Rahul Sharma and slain BJP leader Haren Pandya, among others, were not considered worthy by the SIT.