The BJP chief Amit Shah on Monday appeared before the court in the 2002 Naroda Gam riot case as a witness and defended former minister Maya Kodnani saying, she was present in assembly.
The BJP chief Amit Shah on Monday appeared before the court in the 2002 Naroda Gam riot case as a witness and defended former minister Maya Kodnani saying, she was present in assembly.
On a petition filed by the former Gujarat Minister Maya Kodnani, who is one of the prime accused, special SIT judge PB Desai had summoned Shah to appear before the court on September 18.
The court had in April allowed Kodnani's plea to have the summons issued to Shah and some others as witnesses in her defence.
Kodnani, in her application to prove her innocence, said that on the day of the incident she had visited Sola civil hospital after attending the state Legislative Assembly.
She claimed in the application that Shah, who was an MLA at that time, was also present at the Sola civil hospital, where bodies of 'karsevaks' killed in the Sabarmati train burning incident were brought from Godhra.
What Amit Shah said in court:
► I had attended assembly session on February 28. Sessions started at 8.30 am. All MLAs were present
► Godhra carnage condolence resolution was passed in the assembly. Mayaben was present in the assembly
► There was chaos at Sola Civil Hospital and post-mortem of Godhra carnage victim was carried out.
► I met family members of victims and there were many workers present in premises.
► Mayaben was at Sola Civil Hospital. Dr Jaydeep Patel was present.
► Police had cordoned me and were escorting me outside the hospital. Mayaben too was escorted by police and was taken out of premises In police vehicle.
► At 11 to 11.15 we were escorted out of hospital premises
Prosecution cross-examines
► I don't remember the exact time but on February 28, House was adjourned within 10 to 15 minutes.
► I don't know where did Mayaben headed for after leaving Civil Hospital.
► I have never shared any information with SIT.
► I have not given a statement in Naroda Patiya case as I was not summoned for it. SIT had never bothered to know from whether I was with Mayaben or not.
The massacre in Naroda Gam in Ahmedabad is one of the nine major 2002 communal riots cases which were investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Eleven persons belonging to the minority community were killed in Naroda Gam in the 2002 riots, during a bandh called to protest the Godhra train burning incident.
A total of 82 persons are facing trial in the case.
Kodnani, who was then a minister in the Narendra Modi-led state government, has already been convicted and sentenced to 28 years in jail in the case of riot at Naroda Patiya where 97 people were massacred.
(With agency inputs)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "amit-shah")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}