Congress demands transfer of Gujarat riots cases

NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday launched fresh attack on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi by demanding the transfer of the 2002 riots cases out of the state, alleging "complete collusion" between government lawyers and the riot accused.

The party accused the Modi government of victimising IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt after he filed a PIL alleging that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was leaking information on Gujarat riots' investigation to a state law officer.

"There is serious conflict of interest," AICC spokesman Manish Tiwari said. He alleged that an additional advocate general of the state is appearing for the Gujarat government even as he has been drafting and micro-managing the legal strategy of the accused. While he has been drafting the state's petition, he is also drafting the reply of the accused and sharing it with lawyers of the accused, Tiwari claimed.

Congress appealed to the Supreme Court to take a serious note of the miscarriage of justice and obstruction to the legal process in Gujarat, saying that Bhatt's PIL about leakage of probe details on riot cases was a serious matter and points to the "extraordinary and peculiar" situation in the BJP-ruled state.

"We demand all Gujarat riot-related cases should be immediately transferred out of the state because so far action could be seen only in those cases in which the hearing took place outside the state," Tiwari said.

The party was hopeful that the apex court will take cognizance of the "victimisation of Bhatt carried out at the behest of the Gujarat government."

Congress dragged BJP top brass, accusing them of dancing to Modi's tune.

The party alleged that the political management to save Modi had been outsourced to Chennai to one Gurumurthy, who orchestrates the political strategy. After it is approved, the BJP central leadership starts jumping to save the Gujarat CM.