The Supreme Court has rejected a challenge brought by Zakia Ehsan Jafri that contested the SIT’s closure report and threw out claims of a bigger plot involving high-ranking officials and other parties in the Gujarat riots of 2002, which followed the Godhra train massacre.
Over the course of fourteen days, a Bench made up of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari, and CT Ravikumar carefully listened to the arguments made by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who was representing the Petitioner, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was representing the SIT, and Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, who was representing the State of Gujarat. On December 9, 2021, the bench had reserved the Judgement.
The Gujarat High Court’s October 2017 decision accepting the closure report submitted by the SIT regarding more serious conspiracy allegations against the state administration was challenged by Jafri, the widow of Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who died in the Gulberg Society massacre during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Jafri filed the special leave petition in the Supreme Court. Jafri was given freedom by the High Court to seek additional investigation, nevertheless.
