2002 Godhra riots: SC defers hearing on Zakia Jafri's plea to January

Zakia Jafri. Pic/AFP

The Supreme Court deferred till the third week of January the hearing on a plea filed by Zakia Jafri challenging the clean chit given by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the 2002 Godhra riots.

Zakia, the wife of Ehsan Jafri, an ex-MP who was killed in one of the worst incidents during the riots, has challenged the Gujarat high court's October 5, 2017 order rejecting her plea against the SIT's decision. A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Hemant Gupta posted the matter for hearing in the third week of January.

The court had previously said it would also look into the application by social activist Teesta Setalvad on becoming a co-petitioner in Zakia's plea ahead of hearing the main case.

During the previous hearing, senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for SIT had said that Zakia's plea was not maintainable and had also raised objections to Setalvad becoming the second petitioner in the case.

He had said the appeal does not have a single supporting affidavit filed by Jafri and all affidavits filed are by Setalvad, who describes herself as a journalist.

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