Gujarat riots: Court rejects plea of accused in Naroda-Patiya case

The trial court hearing the 2002 Gujarat riot case in Naroda-Patiya on Tuesday rejected the application by some of the accused seeking examination of 24 persons as court witnesses, whose names have been dropped by the prosecution from its list of witnesses.

Special Judge Jyotsna Yagnik, while rejecting the plea, observed that there was no need to call these 24 persons as court witnesses, but the defence lawyers may call them as their witnesses during the trial.

The present plea had come after special public prosecutor moved an application seeking to stop further deposition by witnesses.

The case before the court relates to violence in Naroda-Patiya area here, where 95 persons were killed in 2002 communal riots.

According to defence lawyers, these 24 witnesses, who figure in the charge-sheet as eye-witnesses, were dropped by special investigation team (SIT) without giving any reason, which could prejudice the accused's case.

The court also kept on hold the application filed by some of the riot victims demanding that four policemen be prosecuted for negligence during the riots.

The hearing on the application filed by advocate Y B Sheikh would be taken up at appropriate stage during the appreciation of evidence, the judge said, after SIT said that investigation was still on.

The victims have sought prosecution of the then police inspectors of Naroda KK Mysorewala and V S Gohil, sub-inspector with the state reserve police force (SRPF) Ketan Parikh, and a constable.