01, May 2010

Police officials from Gujarat deputed by the SIT to conduct further investigations, showed a marked hostility to eye–witnesses and cross-examined them as if they were defence counsel rather than an investigating team recording the statements of key eyewitnesses, statements that would be crucial in the subsequent prosecution. This attitude was objected to in writing by survivor eye-witnesses. Neither of the two senior officers (Raghavan and Satpathy) hand-picked by the apex court to head the SIT at the time was available to hear the complaints of witness survivors. This was also stated before the Supreme Court in 2009-2010 when the CJP tried to ensure a re-constitution of the SIT on these grounds. Witnesses were partially successful when IPS officers Geeta Johri and Shivanand Jha were precluded by the Court from being part of the investigation team thereafter.

Credit: Sabrangindia https://sabrangindia.in/indepth/gulberg-massacre-tortuous-journey-justice?page=2