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Gujarat riots: Plea against SIT clean chit to Modi, others adjourned till January
New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till January the hearing on a plea by Zakia Ahsan Jafri challenging clean chit to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for their alleged inaction in the 2002 post-Godhra riots including an attack on Gulberg society.
Zakia Jafri — widow of Congress leader and former member of Parliament Ahsan Jafri — has challenged the Gujarat High Court order upholding clean chit to Modi and others by SIT.
The bench of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Hemant Gupta directed the posting of the matter to the third week of January as senior counsel Kapil Sibal appearing for Jafri told the court that they wanted to file some additional documents and needed time.
The SIT, on November 19, while raising preliminary objection to the Zakia Jafri’s plea had opposed it, saying “it is an issue of facts and for how long it can go on”.
The court was also told that there were concurrent findings of the magistrate court and the high court as well rejecting Zakia Jafri’s plea.
Jafri has challenged the October 5, 2017 order of the Gujarat High Court upholding the magistrate court order rejecting Jafri’s protest petition challenging the SIT report giving clean chit to top political leaders and state functionaries for the alleged larger conspiracy.
The SIT was set up by the top court, and it had come to the conclusion that no case was made out and the same was accepted by the Magistrate and the finding was “erroneously” reiterated by the high court, says the petition by Jafri.
The petition has further said that the high court refused to interfere with the Magistrate court order “despite large amount of documentation and contemporaneous evidence that existed which made out a triable case against all the accused”.
The petition by Jafri says that she had levelled allegations against various bureaucrats, police officers and political leaders for alleged “conspiracy, abetment and hate speech” culminating in 2002 violence.
Petitioner Jafri has referred to the burning of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express on February 27, 2002, resulting in the death of 59 kar sevaks at Godhra railway station.
She said this was “presumed to be a communal attack against the Hindus and this culminated into a reprisal against the Muslim community leading to orchestrated violence and targeted killings”.
Jafri’s petition says: “As contemporaneous official data began to be released, including the intelligence collected by the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), it transpired that the SIB had information about systematic movements of kar sevaks and accumulation of arms, which was ignored and facilitated by inaction.”
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.