Naroda Patiya witnesses write to SIT on prosecutors

In the Naroda Patiya case,the state Government had earlier appointed V P Atre as the PP. In April,H M Dhruv replaced him. Dhruv was the Special Public Prosecutor in the Godhra train carnage case in which the accused were charged under POTA.

The Gujarat Government is likely to finalise the list of PPs in the 10 riots cases being re-investigated by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT shortly. The court has ordered the state Government to set up fast-track courts for speedy trial in the cases.

In their application,the witnesses say: “We fear political interference in the appointment of PPs in the case. And we do not trust any PP appointed earlier as all the accused in the case have been released on bail… Following the kind of political atmosphere in Gujarat,it is necessary that no PP who has represented the state in POTA cases be appointed (in the Naroda Patiya case).”

Proposing the names of Shah and Bhatt,the witnesses have stated they are experienced,learned and neutral advocates and so they should be appointed PPs.

One of the witnesses,Mohammed Salim Shaikh,said they were opposing the advocates who represented the state in POTA cases because they were political appointments,“sharing the BJP’s ideology”.

A senior SIT officer said while he was not aware of such a letter,they would look into it “if such a letter is submitted”.