Jafri cannot file protest plea against SIT report: Court

In a setback to riot victim Zakiya Jafri, the metropolitan court on Tuesday said that she had lost the right to file a protest petition against the Special Investigative Team’s (SIT) closure report citing the delays in doing so by the victim.

The SIT which had been asked by the Supreme court to probe Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 62 others for their alleged role in the Gujarat riots had given a clean chit to all but as per the SC directions the court should have taken into account the victim’s petition before accepting or rejecting the same.

Though the hearings on the case began from April, Jafri had raised objections to the SIT report claiming that not all the documents were submitted to her.

She had also approached the apex court seeking clarification on several points pertaining to the SIT probe.

The petitioner had sought time to file the protest petition stating that its petition before the Supreme court was pending.

The court had deferred the hearings on several occasions but Jafri had sought more time. However, on Tuesday the court refused to give further time and ruled that she had now lost the right to file the petition given the delays.

Advocate for Jafri S M Vora, while disagreeing with the ruling, said that they would approach the Supreme court against the order.   “The hearing in the apex court on our clarifications is coming up for hearing on December 3. We will raise this order at that time only,” said Vora.