New Delhi: A petition filed by Zakia Jafri in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots has averted a clean chit to PM Narendra Modi. The apex court has deferred the hearing till April 13. The court will now hear the matter on April 13. In fact, there was a demand to adjourn the hearing demanding a physical hearing.
Zakia's lawyer Kapil Sibal had sought to postpone the hearing by mid-April. The apex court said that the demand for postponement of the hearing will not be accepted in the future. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, however, moved by the Gujarat government to protest against the plea to postpone the hearing and demanded a hearing next week. Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Special Investigation Team (SIT), also opposed the postponement of the hearing and said the matter should now be decided.
However, the Bench of the Supreme Court said that while the matter is put up for hearing on April 13, no appeal will be considered to postpone the hearing. The Supreme Court had scheduled the hearing of the case in February last year for April 14, 2020, and said that the case has been postponed several times and will be heard on the same day. Earlier, Jaffrey's lawyer had told the Supreme Court that a notice was required to be issued in the petition as it related to an alleged "major conspiracy" from February 27, 2002, to May 2002.
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