Gujarat HC notice to Kodnani,VHP leader

The development would give the Minister a chance to complete the current Assembly session that ends February 28.

The notices were issued on a petition by the Special Investigation Team SIT probing the Naroda Patia and Naroda Gam mass massacre cases during the 2002 riots. These are among the 10 most heinous riot cases that the SIT is probing at the behest of the Supreme Court.

In the petition,SIT submitted that the Minister as well as the VHP leader had led the mobs attacking the Muslims in the two areas during the riots. It is pleaded that since the act was heinous and amounted to serious criminal offence,the anticipatory bail of the accused be cancelled.

While Kodnani is accused in both the offences,Patel is charged in the Naroda Gam case only. While 95 persons were killed,38 injured and three are still missing in the Naroda Patia case,11 persons were killed and nine others injured in the Naroda Gam case.

Earlier on February 20,Justice Anant S Dave had refused to hear the case saying 8220;not before me8221;. The duo was declared absconders by SIT on February 2 after they failed to appear before the investigation agency on January 29 and 31 despite summons issued to them.

However,Ahmedabad City Sessions Court on February 5 granted them anticipatory bail on the condition that they would not flee the country and would also not enter the Naroda area. However,three applications from the relatives of the victims Nannumiyan Malek,Dilavar Umrav Saiyed and Imtiyaz Ahmed Qureshi beseeching that applicants be allowed as party in the bail cancellation application of SIT could not be heard as the three petitions could not be placed before the court today.