PA whom Gujarat Minister gave clean chit in riots is caught

Initially, local police had closed the Delol case citing lack of evidence. But after a special investigation team took over the riot cases following a Supreme Court observation, two FIRs were filed on the Delol massacre.

In one of them — filed by Firdaus Yaqub and Yaqoob Adam — the complainant had alleged that on March 1, 2002, when a group of about 30 Delol residents was fleeing from the village to a safer place, they were intercepted by a mob carrying swords and sharp-edged weapons.

The FIR stated that 17 villagers were killed and burnt alive at one spot, while another group of six was caught at some distance and killed in the same manner. In the second case, a separate FIR was filed — by Siraj Qansara.

Interestingly, after the offence was registered, Prabatsinh had written a letter to State Home Minister Amit Shah claiming that Patel was with him, on an official tour, when the alleged incident had taken place.

The Minister claimed that Patel’s name was being falsely implicated in the case at the behest of vested interests.

He further demanded that Patel’s name be dropped from the FIR.

Despite repeated attempts Chauhan could not be contacted.