Rahul Sharma, the IPS officer, is a key witness of the riot cases, who has been served show-cause notice for preparing a compact disc containing the records of mobile phone calls made during the 2002 communal riots.
The Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) has demanded adequate security as well as legal protection for IPS officer Rahul Sharma, a key witness of the riot cases, who has been served show-cause notice by the state government for preparing a compact disc containing the records of mobile phone calls made during the 2002 communal riots.
Advocate Mukul Sinha, convenor of the JSM, an NGO fighting for 2002 riot victims, has submitted an application to RK Raghavan, chairman of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2002 riots in the state. Sinha has asked the SIT to file petition in the Supreme Court against the show-cause notice served to Sharma, and has sought security for the officer.
In his application Sinha said, "The Gujarat government has issued a show-cause notice to Rahul Sharma imputing serious allegations of misconduct against him stating that he had allegedly prepared a compact disc containing records of mobile phone calls made during the period from February 25, 2002 to March 4, 2002.
It also alleged that the compact disc (CD) was not given to the investigation officer or the supervisory officer of the Crime Branch."
The application stated that the prosecution, in all the riot-related cases, are relying upon the mobile phone call data in support of their charges against several important persons named in the cases, including Mayaben Kodnani and Jaydeep Patel.
It also said that it appears that the government has issued the show-cause notice to Sharma with a view to intimidating and preventing him from giving evidence in connection with the mobile phone call data.
Sinha further said that the timing of issuing the show-cause notice coincides exactly with the time when Sharma is to depose in Naroda Gam and Naroda Patia cases.
"The sudden intimidating action of the state government of issuing a show-cause notice in connection with the mobile call data is, therefore, for victimising Sharma for having had the courage to become a witness of SIT in prosecution of the aforesaid cases," Sinha stated.
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