UPDATE:SIT chief in A'bad to assess probe on Modi's role in Gujarat riots

Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief R K Raghavan is in town to assess the progress made in the probe on the role of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 62 others in post-Godhra riots, officials sources said today.

The SC had last month ordered SIT to probe within three months a complaint that Modi, his cabinet colleagues, police officials and senior bureaucrats aided and abetted post-Godhra riots of 2002.

The complaint was made by Zakia Jaffrey, whose husband ex-MP Ehsan Jaffrey was killed during the communal riots in Gulberg society along with 38 others.

Raghavan, who is in the city with two other SIT members and ex-CBI officials Paramvir Singh and A K Malhotra, will be discussing various issues with Shivanand Jha, Ashish Bhatia and Geetha Johri, who are Gujarat-based IPS officers and SIT team members, sources said.

Ragahavan is also likely to discuss the petition filed by a former BJP MLA from Lunavada Kalubai Hirabhai Malivad requesting the court to stay the investigations against Modi and restrain SIT from arresting persons named in Zakia's complaint, they said.

Malivad, who is one of the persons named by Jaffrey in her complaint, contended in his petition that the Apex court had asked SIT to "look into" the complaint, and this does not empower it to investigate the case as per provisions of CrPC, as there was no FIR registered in the case filed by her.

Gujarat High Court has issued notice to the state government and all the SIT members asking them to file a reply by June 16, when the next hearing on Malivad's petition is scheduled.

With government clearing the appointment of seven special public prosecutors for the 2002 riot cases probed by SIT, stage is set for trial in the cases to begin.

Ragahvan is also likely to discuss the issues related to witness protection scheme, sources said.

The former CBI director had during his last visit here said that police and Central paramilitary forces will both be used for witnesses protection.

Also, Raghavan had asked the state DGP S S Khandwawala to place at his disposal an officer of the rank of superintendent of police who will coordinate with SIT and the witnesses.

He had also said that there will be a helpline for the witnesses who want to report any threat or intimidation they faced during the course of trial.