Jun
30
This in-depth 150-page report analyzes thousands of pages of previously unavailable and secret affidavits, government records and arguments submitted to the 1985 Misra Commission, established to examine the Sikh Massacres in Delhi, Kanpur, and Bokaro. After a thorough discussion of administrative and judicial impunity, the report applies the international law of genocide and crimes against […]
Jun
26
15 Accused Surrender; Dawood Case Adjourned
June 26, 2004 | Comments Off on 15 Accused Surrender; Dawood Case Adjourned
15 accused have surrendered in a case arising out of the 2002 Gujarat pogroms against Muslims: The 15 persons are mostly local BJP-VHP activists who had allegedly killed and burnt 23 persons in Delol village of Panchmahals district on March 1, 2002 during a VHP-sponsored bandh after the Godhra train carnage. The 23 people, mostly […]
Jun
25
Gujarat Updates: Ishrat Raza & Nanavati Commission
June 25, 2004 | Comments Off on Gujarat Updates: Ishrat Raza & Nanavati Commission
The Gujarat police have submitted their report to the Central Government on the executions of four individuals, including 19-year old Ishrat Jahan Raza, accused of planning to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Raza was from Bombay and the Maharashtra police have not found any evidence linking her to militant activities, increasing the likelihood that […]
Jun
22
Best Bakery Prosecutors Finalized
June 22, 2004 | Comments Off on Best Bakery Prosecutors Finalized
The appointment of the public prosecutors in the Best Bakery case, being retried in Maharashtra, has been settled with the appointment of two prosecutors from Maharashtra and two from Gujarat, with NGO consultation: The state government issued a notification on June 18 appointing P.R. Vakil, Manjula Rao, Zahiruddin Sheikh and S.M. Vora as the prosecutors […]
Jun
19
Faked Encounter of College Student?
June 19, 2004 | Comments Off on Faked Encounter of College Student?
In what appears to be another faked encounter, the Gujarat police killed four young people, including student Ishrat Jahan Raza, stating the four were planning to assassinate Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Survivors and activists charge Modi’s government with organizing the 2002 Gujarat carnage of Muslims. The Gujarat police claimed that Ishrat and three others belonged to an […]
Jun
14
June 12 marked the anniversary of a 1975 High Court ruling that found Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi guilty of corruption. BBC’s On This Day reproduced its contemporary article reporting on the verdict: Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has been barred from holding office for six years after she was found guilty of electoral corruption. But […]
Jun
14
PM Speaks of Pain over Pogroms; Vajpayee Hints at Modi’s Removal
June 14, 2004 | Comments Off on PM Speaks of Pain over Pogroms; Vajpayee Hints at Modi’s Removal
In a visit over the weekend to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke of the 1984 pogroms against Sikhs and the 2002 Gujarat pogroms against Muslims as “painful:” After paying obeisance at the shrine, Singh told the devotees in Punjabi: “I understand the pain and anguish of Sikhs. Painful incidents like […]
Jun
11
Gujarat Activist Questioned by CID; Best Bakery Prosecutor Still not Appointed
June 11, 2004 | Comments Off on Gujarat Activist Questioned by CID; Best Bakery Prosecutor Still not Appointed
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) questioned a prominent Gujarat activist, Father Cedric Prakash, for 90 minutes today, focusing on his visit to the jail housing POTA detainees–the accused in the Godhra carnage: Police Inspector (CID Crime) J.G. Saiyed also inquired about Father Prakash’s visit to London in December 2003 where he allegedly made some inflammatory […]
Jun
10
Controversy Over Best Bakery Prosecutor
June 10, 2004 | Comments Off on Controversy Over Best Bakery Prosecutor
Representatives of Zahira Sheikh, plaintiff in the Best Bakery retrial proceeding in Maharashtra, stated that they were not consulted in the selection of the public prosecutor: Ms. Teesta Setalvad, secretary of the CJP, told The Hindu today that “we had suggested several names to the Gujarat Government, but finally the person appointed as the public prosecutor […]
Jun
10
Custodial Crimes Continue in Punjab
June 10, 2004 | Comments Off on Custodial Crimes Continue in Punjab
Although the police has ended its counterinsurgency operations, reports of torture and custodial deaths regular surface in Punjab. Most recently, the torture of a famous kabaddi player drew attention: 22-year-old Jasvir was allegedly picked up by the Kotkapura police at the instance of his wife’s maternal uncle, Suba Singh, who is part of the security […]