Special courts for riot cases: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday favoured the setting up of designated courts for the trial of the accused in the post-Godhra riot cases in Gujarat.

A bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat, and also comprising Justices P Sathasivam and Aftab Alam, asked the state government and senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the matter, to place before it suggestions in this regard by Monday.

The bench was told that the Gujarat government had accepted the report of special investigating team (SIT) set up by the apex court to investigate some of the key cases arising out of the Godhra train burning in February 2002 and the subsequent riots in the state. The SIT is headed by former CBI director RK Raghavan.

Referring to the report, the Gujarat state counsel, Mukul Rohatgi, said the SIT has ruled out several of the allegations made against the government in connection with the riots.
He said the report had clearly stated that the NGOs, which had made allegations against the BJP government, had given stereotype affidavits in almost all the riot cases.

The SIT had submitted its report before the apex court in March this year.  The Gujarat state counsel on Monday said it is apparent from the SIT report that the affidavits were cyclostyled and witnesses differed in their deposition before the investigation team. 
Lawyer Aparna Bhat, who was appearing for Citizens for Justice and Peace, raised objections to the state government making allegations against two members of the NGO. The bench, however, said it was not going into the allegations.

“Justice must prevail. Truth can be arrived at only if the atmosphere is there,”  the bench said.  —With Agencies