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Zakia's lawyer says the bosses asked them to go soft on Hindu rioters in 2002. Zakia Jafri’s lawyer told the court on Thursday that three IPS officers of the state were aware of the
instructions given by their bosses — to go soft on Hindu rioters — during the 2002 riots. But they did not admit that for fear of reprisal. Mihir Desai, the lawyer, also said that there was
ample evidence to indict chief minister Narendra Modi for engineering the 2002 communal riots by instructing the police department to go soft against Hindu rioters during the backlash
following the killing of 59 kar sevaks on February 27, 2002. Metropolitan magistrate BJ Ganatra was hearing a protest petition filed by Jafri challenging the clean chit given by the Supreme
Court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) to Modi and others in the 2002 riots. “The three IPS officers, Samiulla Ansari, Himanshu Bhatt and VL Mal, had orally stated before retired
Supreme Court judge PB Sawant and retired high court judge Hosbet Suresh about the instructions of their political bosses to go soft against rioters in 2002. But they did not give their
statements fearing political reprisal,” said Desai. Both the judges were members of the Concerned Citizens’ Tribunal, a private inquiry panel formed by riot victims to unearth the truth
behind the communal riots. Officers Bhatt and Ansari have resigned from the police service. Ansari is on long leave and he recently sent his resignation to the government from USA. “Though
the officers had orally informed the judges, the SIT did not take their statements to know the truth,” said Desai. The lawyer further stated that late junior home minister Haren Pandya and
then deputy commissioner of intelligence, Sanjiv Bhatt, were present at the controversial meeting held at the chief minster’s bungalow around 11 pm on February 27, 2002, when Modi had
instructed top police officers to let Hindus vent their ire against Muslims. Those IAS and IPS officers have not denied their presence. But they said: “They could not recollect.” Hence there
is ample material on record to file a charge sheet against Modi. Pandya had stated about Modi’s utterance before the tribunal while Bhatt filed an affidavit before the SC. However, SIT has
denied their presence. Desai blamed SIT for leaking vital information regarding Bhatt’s statement before it. Modi was aware of the proposed statement to be given by Bhatt before SIT. “SIT
had questioned Modi in an interview form and without any question in reference to Bhatt’s presence asked by the officers, Modi told them that Bhatt was not present at the meeting. So, how
would he be aware of Bhatt’s confidential inputs? It must have been leaked by SIT,” insisted Desai.