SIT did a reasonably good and unbiased job: RK Raghavan on Gulbarg probe

Former CBI director RK Raghavan, who headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe cases including the Gulbarg Society massacre, has termed the court’s verdict on Thursday as a “mixed bag and partly satisfactory”.

After 14 long years, the special session court in Ahmedabad on Thursday convicted 24 people and acquitted 36 others in the sensational Gulbarg Society massacre case in Gujarat, in which 69 people including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri were killed in 2002. Among others, sitting BJP corporator from Asarwa area Bipin Patel, who was charged with murder and rioting, stood acquitted.

In 2008 the Supreme Court ordered the then Narendra Modi government in Gujarat to re-investigate nine cases in the 2002 Gujarat riots, one of which was the Gulbarg Society massacre. The court constituted an SIT headed by RK Raghavan to look into the matter.

However, Zakia Jafri (77), wife of Ehsan Jafri, who was hacked and burnt to death by the rioters, termed the verdict as “unfortunate” because it acquitted 36 accused persons involved in rioting. She pursued justice through the years despite failing health and said she wants the death sentence for the killers of her husband.

Excerpts of the telephonic interview of RK Raghavan with Firstpost:

What’s your opinion on the verdict?

It’s a mixed bag. It’s partly satisfactory and partly not due to the acquittals. All investigators want that the accused named in the report or charge sheet should be convicted and punished. But it’s not always possible. We succeeded to an extent, but didn’t succeed wholly. We did our best with all the facts before the court based on our investigations. The court has believed us partly. It shows the mettle of the Indian judiciary, as it’s not supposed to accept everything that’s presented before it. It’s a part of the game and you can’t be winning all the time. I’ll take it in my stride. Judges have done their job and we’re not questioning the judgment. It’s a tribute to solidarity of Indian criminal justice.

What’s your view on the role of the SIT?

The SIT team did a reasonably good and unbiased job. We did an honest piece of job, collected all evidences possible, applied highest possible standard during the investigation and presented our report before the court.

Zakia Jafri’s is unhappy with the verdict. What’s your say on it?

I fully sympathise with her. It’s quite natural. She is the wife of the victim, who got killed in the riot. Our heart goes out to Mrs Jafri and the whole family. I have met them on several occasions during the investigation and did our best to obtain the best possible evidence.

The charge of criminal conspiracy against all the accused was dropped. How did it impact the verdict?

We had included Section 120 B (which defines criminal conspiracy) in our chargesheet. But the court decided otherwise and I cannot comment on this aspect of the verdict, unless I get to read the complete verdict myself. I am sure the court must have spelt out reasons why there is no conspiracy. We’ve a strong judiciary and it need not agree to every point presented before it. We respect it.

Do you have a feeling that the verdict could have been better?

We’ve no complaints against it. The court have acquitted some of the people may be considering absence of sufficient evidence and on the basis of benefit of doubt. Unless I get to read the entire verdict in black and white, I can’t comment further.