Has SIT justified bringing bodies from Godhra to Ahmedabad?

The decision of the Narendra Modi government to bring the bodies of 59 kar sevaks charred in the Sabarmati Express from Godhra to Ahmedabad has, in the last decade, received piercing criticism from all quarters. But if speculations about contents of the final report submitted by the Special Investigation Team are to be believed, this act has been justified in it.

Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, had filed a complaint against 63 people, including Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and the top brass of Gujarat police and bureaucracy for abetting the violence which killed 67 people in the Gulbarg massacre. Jafri was killed in this attack on Gulbarg Society in the post-Godhra communal riots in February 2002.

Sources in the SIT claim that in the report submitted to the magisterial court, it is stated that no substantive evidence has been found against any of the accused.

Regarding bringing the bodies of the victims from Godhra to Sola Civil Hospital (Ahmedabad), sources claim that SIT has contended it was not an improper exercise by the government as the bodies required identification and were handed over to their relatives for last rites. Most of the victims belonged to Ahmedabad or North Gujarat. The police were there with the dead bodies and sub-divisional magistrate was also present when these were handed over to relatives. The bodies were brought at midnight to ensure that riots didn’t flare up.

According to sources familiar with the developments, Zakia had no first-hand information regarding who played what role, especially that of the top people in the state, in the riots and she had included even those officers in her complaint who were posted in districts outside Ahmedabad. Hence, it could not be sustained during the probe by SIT, the source said. The SIT has supposedly not relied on statements given by suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. The reason cited by them is that when approached the first time, Bhatt had not divulged any details regarding the controversial meeting at CM Modi's residence on the night of February 27, 2002. However, later he came out with stinging claims that Modi had instructed police officers to let Hindus vent their anger. A section of the media has reported speculations that amicus curie appointed by SC Raju Ramachandran has also not relied on Bhatt's statements.

The SIT had taken statements of all 63 people including Modi whose prosecution had been sought by Zakia. Not only that, it had also taken statements of numerous persons and officials about the claim that the government machinery had instructed police force to not to act against rioters.

The agency has reportedly not found any substance in Zakia's claim against then health minister late Ashok Bhatt, who sat at the Ahmedabad police control room and then Urban Development Minister, IK Jadeja, who sat at the DGP officer in Gandhinagar.

She had alleged that they were monitoring police movement from these crucial points of citizen contact and ensuring that police did not reach the riot-affected areas to control violence.Zakia had also included collectors and IAS officers of the state Home ministry as responsible for the violence in the city. The SIT has, however, reportedly concluded that these people cannot be held liable to physically reach different venues to control violence themselves.

However, it will be interesting to see how the SIT has treated allegations that Modi had instigated people by issuing provocative speech and not visited riot-affected areas. It will come out once the magisterial court makes the report public or gives it to the lawyers.