Security cover of 131 witnesses, lawyers, retired judge connected to Gujarat riot cases withdrawn

Ahmedabad: The Supreme Court appointed-Special Investigation Team (SIT) in consultation with the Gujarat government has withdrawn security cover for all 131 witnesses of the 2002 Godhra train burning and subsequent riot cases, two lawyers who assisted the victims in their legal battle and a retired judge who presided over the trial of Naroda Patiya Massacre case.

SIT officials said that the security cover was withdrawn on December 13 following scrutiny and review of threat perception. The protection to majority of the witnesses was granted by the state government since 2003 and later by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT under Witness Protection Cell. It was done to ensure that none of the witnesses faced intimidation or pressure to testify before the court.

"We have removed the security from witnesses after reviewing that there was no threat perception. None of them faced intimidation or assault," SIT member A K Malhotra told DH.

Earlier in August 2021, SIT had removed security cover for 25 witnesses citing that there was no threat to them. These witnesses were covered by CISF personnel and local police.

After "confirmation" from Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, state Director General of Police Vikas Sahay and members of SIT, an order was passed on December 13 for removing protection for the remaining witnesses. The security of Zakia Jafri, the wife of slain Congress MP Ahsan Jafri, has also been downgraded from CISF to local police.

There were a total of 156 policemen and 98 CISF personnel who were protecting the witnesses, two advocates and a retired judge Jyotsna Yagnik.

The security cover of Yagnik was removed on the ground that more than 12 years have passed since she delivered the judgement in Naroda Patiya massacre. She had found 32 accused including former BJP minister Maya Kodnani and VHP leader Babu Bajrangi guilty. The high court acquitted 18 of them in 2018 including Kodnani.

SIT officials said that Yagnik was the only judge out of nine judges, who presided over riot cases, who sought protection. Yagnik had complained that she had received a number of threat letters and blank phone calls. The security of two lawyers, M M Tirmizi and S M Vohra, has also been revoked.

The CISF personnel were doing the patrolling in the riot-affected areas until the order of removal of protection was passed on December 13.

"The security cover couldn't have gone on forever. The trials of all nine major rioting cases (Naroda Patiya, Naroda Gam, Gulberg Society, Dipda Darwaja, Sardarpura and Ode) are already over and pending with high court and Supreme Court. None of the witnesses ever complained of threat or assault," SIT officials told DH requesting not to be quoted.