Page 2 - Gujarat Riots

BJP to hold nationwide protests today over Bhutto's 'derogatory' remarks

Describing Bhutto's remark as "highly derogatory", BJP said the remarks were given to divert global attention from Pakistan's collapsing economy, lawlessness and anarchy in Pakistan

SC judge recuses from hearing Bilkis Bano's plea against convicts' release

Supreme Court judge Bela M Trivedi on Tuesday recused herself from hearing a plea filed by Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped and seven members of her family killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots, challenging the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the case by the state government. As soon as a bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi sat for the day, Justice Rastogi announced his sister judge will not like to hear the case. "List the matter before a bench in which one of us is not a member," the bench headed by Justice Rastogi ordered without specifying any reason for the recusal of justice Trivedi. Advocate Shobha Gupta, appearing for Bilkis Bano, said her only predicament is that winter vacation of the court is approaching and she wants the matter to be heard at an earlier date. The top court said that a new bench will be constituted and the matter will be taken up thereafter. Gupta told the bench that when the matter is taken up, she would like to press her applicatio

SC to hear Bilkis Bano's plea challenging remission to convicts on Dec 13

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on December 13 a plea filed by Bilkis Bano, who was gangraped and seven members of her family killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots, challenging the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the case by the state government. A bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi is likely to take up the plea of Bano, who has also filed a separate prayer seeking a review of the apex court's May 13, 2022 order on a plea by a convict. The top court had asked the Gujarat government to consider the plea for premature release of the convicts in terms of its policy of July 9, 1992 about deciding a remission petition within a period of two months. In her plea against the grant of remission which had led to the release of the convicts on August 15, Bano said the state government passed a mechanical order completely ignoring the requirement of law as laid down by the Supreme Court. "The enmasse premature release of the convicts in the much talked about case o

SC to consider listing Bilkis Bano's plea against 2002 rape-murder convicts

Bilkis Bano on Wednesday challenged the remission of sentence and release of convicts in the 2002 rape and murder case filing a plea before the Supreme Court. The top court said it will consider listing the matter for hearing. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submissions of lawyer Shobha Gupta that the victim herself has challenged the grant of remission and release of the convicts, and the matter be listed for hearing. She said that Justice Ajay Rastogi, who was part of the bench which had heard other similar pleas against the remission, was now part of a Constitution Bench hearing. "The review has to be heard first. Let it come before Justice Rastogi, the CJI said. When the counsel for Bano said let the matter be heard in open court, the bench said, "Only the court concerned can decide that." The CJI said that he would take a call on the issue in the evening. Earlier, a bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravikumar

Nobody will stay in power forever: Owaisi slams Shah over riots remark

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his "BJP taught perpetrators of violence a lesson in 2002" remark, saying nobody stays in power forever. Owaisi also accused Shah of being intoxicated with power. Addressing an election rally in Gujarat on Friday, Shah had said that anti-social elements stopped indulging in violence after they were "taught a lesson" in 2002 and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) established "permanent peace" in the state. Parts of Gujarat had witnessed large-scale violence in 2002 following the train burning incident at Godhra railway station in February that year. Owaisi, who was speaking at a rally in Muslim-dominated Juhapura area in Ahmedabad on Friday evening, hours after Shah's remarks, said the lessons that the BJP leader taught was that "rapists of Bilkis Bano will be freed". "I would like to tell you that the lesson that you taught in 2002 was that you will acquit the

You freed Bilkis' rapists: Asaduddin Owaisi hits out at Amit Shah

"Amit Shah, what lesson did you teach to the rioters of Delhi communal riots of 2020?" he further questioned

BJP taught lessons to rioters in 2002, established peace in Gujarat: Shah

According to the Union Home Minister, earlier incidents of riots and violence were common in Gujarat as the Congress party encouraged it

Guj HC judge recuses self from hearing Teesta Setalvad's regular bail plea

Gujarat High Court judge Justice Samir Dave on Tuesday recused himself from hearing the regular bail plea of activist Teesta Setalvad in connection with a case of the alleged fabrication of evidence to frame innocent people concerning the 2002 Gujarat riots. When the matter came up for hearing before Justice Samir Dave, he said "not before me," but didn't assign any reason. Setalvad is out on interim bail granted to her by the Supreme Court on September 2. The Ahmedabad crime branch had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Setalvad, former DGP RB Sreekumar and ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the clean chit given by the SIT to then chief minister Narendra Modi and others in 2002 post-Godhra riots cases. Setalvad and co-accused Sreekumar were taken into custody on July 25. Their bail pleas were rejected by the sessions court on July 30, after which they approached the High Court. Meanwhile, Setalvad secured interim b

Bilkis Bano case: SC to hear pleas against release of 11 convicts on Nov 29

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will hear on November 29 the pleas challenging the remission of sentence and release of 11 convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case and murder of her seven family members during the Gujarat riots. A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravikumar directed that the reply filed by the Gujarat government be made available to all parties. The petitioners have been given time to file their reply to the affidavit filed by the Gujarat government. "A counter has been filed by the Gujarat government. Let counter affidavit be made available to all counsels," the bench said. The Gujarat government on Monday had told the apex court that petitioners challenging the remission are nothing but an "interloper" and a "busybody". It had also said that since the investigation in the case was carried out by the CBI, it had obtained "suitable orders" for grant of remission of the convicts from the Centre. Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five-month pregnant

Activist Pandey, 3 others detained ahead of march in support of Bilkis Bano

Police have detained social activist Sandeep Pandey and three others ahead of a foot march planned on Monday to express solidarity with Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped and seven of her family members murdered during the 2002 Gujarat riots, police said. Ramon Magsaysay award recipient Pandey and other activists were scheduled to participate in the foot march, titled 'Apologising to Bilkis Bano', planned to be taken out from her native village Randhikpur in neighbouring Dahod district on Monday under the banner of 'Hindu-Muslim Ekta Samiti'. The march was to conclude in Ahmedabad on October 4. "Sandeep Pandey and three others were detained from Godhra (in Panchmahal district) at around 10.30 pm on Sunday. They are still in detention," a B-division police station officer said. The Hindu-Muslim Ekta Samiti in a statement condemned the police action. It said the foot march was organised to apologise to Bilkis Bano, after the Gujarat government on August 15 this year released 11 convict

2002 Gujarat riots: SIT files chargesheet against Teesta Setalvad, 2 others

A special investigation team filed a charge sheet against activist Teesta Setalvad, retired Director General of Police RB Sreekumar and former IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt in the 2002 Gujarat riots case

Activist Teesta Setalvad walks out of jail after SC grants interim bail

Activist Teesta Setalvad walked out of a prison here on Saturday, a day after the Supreme Court granted her interim bail in a case of allegedly fabricating evidence related to the 2002 Gujarat riots. She had been lodged in the Sabarmati Central Jail here since her arrest on June 26. As per the SC order, she was produced before sessions judge V A Rana for bail formalities. "The sessions court imposed two conditions over and above the conditions imposed by the apex court. The sessions court asked the accused to furnish a personal bond of Rs 25,000 and not to leave India without its prior permission," special public prosecutor Amit Patel said.

Gujarat riots case: Teesta Setalvad gets interim bail from Supreme Court

She was arrested by the Gujarat Police for allegedly fabricating documents to frame high-ranking officials in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases

SC granted Teesta Setalvad interim bail: What did the apex court say

Setalvad has long fought for Gujarat riot victims and blamed the then CM Narendra Modi and other high-ranking officials

Congress welcomes grant of interim bail to Setalvad in Gujarat riots case

The Congress on Friday welcomed the grant of interim bail to Teesta Setalvad by the Supreme Court and said many other dissenters of the Narendra Modi government deserve such relief. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed cases have been foisted against many activists who are critics of the present dispensation. "The grant of interim bail to Teesta Setalvad by the Supreme Court is welcome. There are a number of other activists, dissenters and critics of the Modi Sarkar who are deserving of such relief from foisted cases," he tweeted. Granting the relief to Setalvad, arrested on June 25 for allegedly fabricating evidence to frame "innocent people" in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases, the apex court said the high court should have considered releasing her on interim bail during the pendency of her case. A day after taking a serious view of delayed listing of Setalvad's regular bail plea in the Gujarat High Court, a bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit considered facts

SC grants interim bail to Teesta Setalvad in 2002 Gujarat riots case

SC granted interim bail to activist Teesta Setalvad, arrested for allegedly fabricating documents to frame high-ranking officials, including then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, in the 2002 riots cases

Gujarat riots: Supreme Court grants activist Teesta Setalvad interim bail

CJI UU Lalit said it is a matter of record that the appellant was remanded to police custody for about seven days and was interrogated every day

Gujarat riots: SC to hear bail plea of activist Teesta Setalvad on Sep 1

The Supreme Court deferred to Thursday the hearing on the bail plea of activist Teesta Setalvad, arrested for allegedly fabricating evidence to frame "innocent people" in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. A bench comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia, which was to take up the plea for hearing at 3.45 pm, adjourned the matter to September 1 due to paucity of time. Because of the paucity of time, the matter could not be taken up. List this matter at 3 pm on Thursday, the bench said in its order. In response to the bail plea, the Gujarat government has said that the activist had "enacted" the conspiracy along with other accused at the behest of a senior political leader. The state government, in an affidavit, claimed that Setalvad had held meetings with the said political leader and received "large amounts of money". The affidavit, filed by the chief of the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the case lodged in June

Supreme Court to hear activist Teesta Setalvad's bail plea on Aug 30

The Supreme Court Thursday said it would hear on August 30 the bail plea by activist Teesta Setalvad, arrested for allegedly fabricating evidence to frame "innocent people" in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat, told a bench headed by Justice U U Lalit that a response to Setalvad's petition is ready but it requires some corrections. The bench, also comprising Justices S R Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia, said that the response to the petition be filed by August 27. "He (Mehta) submits that a response to the petition is ready but needs further corrections. He assures the court that the response shall be filed on or before Saturday. The rejoinder, if any, be filed by Monday (August 29)," the bench said, adding the matter would be taken up for hearing as the first item on August 30. As Mehta was seeking time to file a reply, the bench observed that the point is that she is behind the bars. The solicitor general said she is in custody accordi

Bilkis Bano case: A timeline of events