Another riot mother stands up to ask for justice, HC listens

She told the court that the prosecutor should have declared the witnesses as having turned hostile when they suppressed information or deposed in a manner that helped the accused.

Allowing Madinabibi to produce xerox copies of the depositions of seven witnesses along with xerox copies of their statements, Justice C K Buch, while fixing the hearing for March 8, stayed ongoing proceedings before the sessions court.

The judge also asked the prosecutor to be present before the court on March 8 ‘‘so that this court can put certain questions as to his role…(in the) conduct of the trial.’’

Incidentally, Madinabibi had also filed an application with the sessions court saying that there were several irregularities in the conduct of the case but the sessions court turned it down following which she approached the High Court through her advocate Jitendra Malkan.

Three days after the Godhra train massacre, a mob had attacked two houses belonging to the Shaikh family, forcing them to flee. The neighours had earlier promised the Shaikhs that they would be safe but later asked them to flee. The mob caught up with the fleeing members in a field and allegedly raped her daughter and niece and killed them along with five others.

Shaikh’s husband, Mustafa, who worked with Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation was away in Kalol when the massacre took place.

Madinabibi and her young son hid in a field and spent the night there.

They escaped the next morning when a convoy of armymen moved in the area. She had lodged the FIR. As many as 41 persons were arrested by the police.