Counsel says Maya was at Sola Civil hospital during ’02 riots

Refuting allegations that minister of state for women’s development and child welfare, Maya Kodnani had been present at Naroda Patia on February 28, 2002, for more than four hours, her counsel, SV Raju, told the Gujarat high court on Tuesday that she was at Sola Civil hospital from 9.57 am to 11.20 am, handing the bodies of the Godhra carnage victims to their families.

Justice DH Waghela was hearing an application submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) challenging the anticipatory bail the sessions court granted to Kodnani and VHP leader Jaideep Patel. The court deferred hearing in the matter till Wednesday.

Raju submitted that, till at least 8.40 am on February 28, 2002, Kodnani was at the legislative assembly in Gandhinagar and that she reached the Sola Civil hospital at 9.57 am, where she remained till 11.20 am before leaving for her home in Shahibaug. He further submitted that the witnesses were puppets in the hands of certain forces who wanted to malign Kodnani’s image. “Political parties are manoeuvring the case because Kodnani is a political figure,” he submitted.

Raju further submitted that there had been a delay in the witnesses giving their statements and that Kodnani had been named six years after the incident. He also submitted that the statements given by witnesses against Kodnani were inconsistent.