’02 riots: K G Menon can appear before trial court

Menon has been specially appointed by the Supreme Court of India to help Special Investigation Team (SIT) with the legal issues in the Gujarat riots cases.

SIT has been entrusted with the responsibility to carry further investigations in certain riot cases reported from Gujarat in 2002. And most of these cases are on the trial stage wherein Special Public Prosecutors have been appointed to prosecute the accused.

Confirming this,Law Secretary M H Shah said,“Earlier,Menon had been appearing only before the Gujarat High Court for any SIT-related legal issue. But now,he can also appear before any trial court for the riot cases in Gujarat. And a decision on this regard has been taken recently.”

Shah said Menon will be entitled to get the remuneration of Rs 75,000,the amount he was getting for his appearance before the High Court. Each of the Special Public Prosecutors appointed for the trial of the SIT investigated cases has been entitled to the remuneration of Rs 15,000 per effective hearing.