Following the Supreme Court direction to set up fast-track courts in the state for trial of eight post-Godhra riot cases, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is all set to approach high court authorities in this connection.
A source close to the investigation said, "It’s sure that SIT will meet the high court authorities for appointment of judges following the apex court order but the rest depends on the discretion of the high court authorities.
Lawyer Mukul Sinha of the Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) told DNA, "We will let the authorities know if there is any objection by the victims after the appointment of judges and prosecutors."
However, official sources of the Gujarat high court said that SIT officials had not met Chief Justice KS Radhakrishnan till now and no official communication with regard to this had been received. Official sources also said that the directives of the apex court would be studied on Monday.
The Supreme Court had ordered to form special fast track courts and conduct day-to-day hearing in such cases including Sabarmati Express, Gulbarg Society, Naroda Patia and Naroda Gam massacres.
The Supreme Court judgment is significant as trials in all eight cases have not been going on for the past seven years following a stay by the apex court. Most of the accused in the cases have secured bails.
The apex court had held that Chief Justice Radhakrishnan will appoint judges for these fast track courts. The apex court had also ruled that the liberty to change public prosecutors will lie with SIT.
Official sources of the SIT said, "The higher officials of the SIT like RK Raghvan can consult the issues about the formation of fast track court and public prosecutor with the high court’s higher authorities. However, we have no idea when the consultation will actually happen."
The Supreme Court has also emphasised on appointment of public prosecutors. It is also a possibility that the high court can add more public and assistant public prosecutors for a speedy trial. Special public prosecutors JM Panchal, HM Dhruv, Mitesh Amin, Amit Patel and Sudhir Brahmbhatt are already engaged by the state government in the riot-related cases.
JM Panchal, a senior practitioner in criminal cases, is handling riot cases in the high court while HM Dhruv, Mitesh Amin, Sudhir Brahmbhatt and Amit Patel are special prosecutors for blast and riots cases in lower court.
Source: DNA
