Around a week after victim and witness in 2002 Naroda Gam massacre moved an application seeking replacement of PB Desai, judge of special court, who acceded to the request of Maya Kodnani to summon BJP president Amit Shah and 13 others as her defense witnesses, has now sought quashing of the summoning orders.
In a letter addressed to Gujarat Chief Justice, Mohammad Sharif Malek, who claims to be one of the victims in Naroda Gam incident, alleged that the conspirators and perpetrators of both Naroda Patiya and Naroda Gam were same and both the incidents took place on the same day. “In this context, to seek appearance of BJP national president and others on behalf of defence after such a long time are not in interest of justice,” Malek claimed.
Malek has also alleged that the defence lawyer for Mayaben Kodnnani, Amit Patel, is junior of senior special public prosecutor HM Dhruv, who in turn is a close relation of judge PB Desai.
“Advocate HM Dhruv is a senior special public prosecutor in serial blast case, POTA case and case related to illicit liquor. Amit Patel is his junior assistant special public prosecutor and a defence lawyer of Mayaben. Both, Amit Patel and H M Dhruv share the same office,” Malek stated in his letter dated April 24.
Kodnani was in August 2012 sentenced to 28 years in jail for her role in the 2002 communal clashes where she was accused of having role in killings of 11 members of minority members in Naroda Gam area on February 28, 2002.