Jul
16
Godhra Forensic Report Released; Supreme Court Admits Bilkis Plea
July 16, 2004 | Comments Off on Godhra Forensic Report Released; Supreme Court Admits Bilkis Plea
Parliament has been in an uproar since the Railway Minister announced a new probe into the Godhra carnage that preceded the 2002 Gujarat pogroms against Muslims. The official forensic report has finally been released to the public:
The National Democratic Alliance suppressed for three months the only forensic investigation report that conclusively established that the railway coach in which more than 60 kar sevaks died was set afire from inside.
Among other findings, the report concludes that the windows were closed at the time of the fire, and that inflammable liquid was not thrown from outside through the windows or door of the coach.
In the case of Bilkis Bano, arising from the pogroms, the Supreme Court has admitted Bilkis’ plea for retrial of the case outside of Gujarat:
The Supreme Court today fixed a date [July 26] for the hearing of a petition filed by Bilkis Yaqub Rasool, who was gangraped by a mob during the post-Godhra riots…
Supporting Bilkis, the CBI said on Monday that the complicity of state police officials in the crime has come to the fore during its investigation. ‘‘Bodies disappeared, heads chopped off and the complicity of police officials has come to the notice of the investigating agency,’’ Solicitor General G.E. Vahanvati said.
Gangs raped at least three members and killed 14 members of Bilkis’ family. The Gujarat section of the blog has other news relating to this case and others arising from the pogroms.
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