The Special Investigation Team appointed by the Supreme Court to reinvestigate nine post-Godhra riot cases has set up a Witness Protection Cell (WPC) headed by an IPS officer. The modalities of the witness protection process are likely to be decided after a meeting with SIT Chief R K Raghavan in a day or two. Raghavan is in Gujarat to review the progress of the investigation and chart its future course. According to sources,the WPC will have on board M V Damor,an IPS officer who will act as the nodal officer for the cell,N S Joshi,IPS and two sub-inspectors,Mini Joseph and Ashutosh Parmar. Damor is presently posted as Commandant of Group 12 of the State Reserve Police (SRP) while Joshi is posted as Assistant Commissioner of Police with the Immigration Department of the Ahmedabad Special Branch. Sources added that the SIT was shortly going to announce telephone numbers which could be used by the witnesses if they faced any harassment. The SIT is also considering deployment of paramilitary forces for the protection of witnesses.
