SC to hear plea against clean chit to Modi in July

The Supreme Court on Monday posted for hearing in July a plea made by Zakia Jafri, widow of Congress M P Ehsan Jafri, against the clean chit given to Narendra Modi, then chief minister, and others in 2002 Gujarat riots.

A bench presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar adjourned the matter to July.

The court had earlier more than three times adjourned the matter on request from the parties.

80-year-old, Zakia filed the petition against the Gujarat High Court's order of October 2017, that upheld clean chit given to Modi and others by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team.

The petitioner, whose husband Congress MP Ehsan Jafri was burnt to death in their house in Gulberg society, contended Modi, and 59 others, including bureaucrats and police officers, should be made accused for being a part of criminal conspiracy for the 2002 riots.

It was contended on her behalf that the high court by its order dismissed her petition against the clean chit but allowed her to approach either the apex court or the trial court for reinvestigation.

She had approached the high court in 2014 after the trial court rejected the objection application by her against the clean chit given by the SIT headed by former CBI director R K Raghavan.

The court had earlier said it would consider a plea by activist Teesta Setalvad for becoming a co-petitioner.