Zakia files another plea to have access to SIT report

Zakia Jafri, victim of Gulbarg Society massacre, has filed another application before the court, seeking that the report of Supreme Court- appointed SIT be made a public document. She also demanded the inspection of the entire documentary evidence which runs into 20,000 pages.

The court adjourned the matter till March 27 as SIT’s counsel sought 15 days time to file reply to the plea.

On Thursday, Zakia hired new lawyer Mihir Desai, a senior counsel from Mumbai, to argue on her behalf. Desai submitted before the court that, according to direction of the Supreme Court, the SIT should either file a report under section 173(2) of CrPC which may be a charge sheet or a closure report. Earlier, advocate IM Munshi argued for Zakia.

He said if charge sheet is filed, then as per the Evidence Act, it should be considered as a public document and it should be provided to all those connected to the case. And in case of the closure report, Jafri is entitled to get the entire certified documents and the court shall issue a notice to Jafri and provide the copies of entire documents. He further said, in case of charge sheet, any person can get the entire report even by filing an RTI application.
On the other hand, SIT counsel RS Jamuar sought time to file a reply to the
application.

He, however, said prima facie the arguments tendered by Desai are similar to his arguments. “W earlier argued before the court that Jafri can be the only person who is entitled to get the report. But this court cannot recall its earlier order where it had turned down the petition filed by Zakia and others on the same ground,” he said.