SIT to SC: No material to show larger conspiracy, idea is to keep pot boiling

NEW DELHI: There was no material to substantiate claims of any larger conspiracy in the 2002 Gujarat riots and the idea behind alleging that the violence was state-sponsored is to keep the pot boiling which showed sinister signs , the Special Investigation Team (SIT) told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The SIT told a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar that complaint filed by Zakia Jafri alleging larger conspiracy in the riots was not converted into an FIR and the apex court had asked the SIT to look into it and act in accordance with law. Zakia Jafri, the wife of slain Congress leader Ehsan Jafri who was killed at Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002, during the violence, has challenged the SIT's clean chit to 64 people including Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat chief minister during the riots.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for SIT, told the bench that a protest petition of around 1,200 pages was filed by Zakia Jafri and it was said that the same be treated as a complaint.

Now, after 20 years, treat this as a complaint. Why? You want to keep this as a boiling pot or what? This also shows sinister signs, to keep this as a pot boiling. Why would anybody keep the pot boiling? Because there is something else, Rohatgi told the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar. That is why it is saying state sponsored, look at this, look at that, look at higher echelons. Because the idea is to keep the pot boiling, he told the bench.

He argued that the top court had asked the SIT to look into Zakia Jafri's complaint as it had recognised the pain of a widow . He said Teesta Setalvad, who is petitioner number two in the plea filed by Zakia Jafri in the apex court, had joined the proceedings when it was before the high court.

And in fact, your lordships will get material, that several people came to the SIT with pre-prepared statements. Their statements were recorded by the SIT and they said that these pre-prepared statements, to which they have appended signatures, are dictations of Teesta Setalvad, the petitioner number two, he said.