By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots had mentioned the names of minister Maya Kodnani and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Jaydeep Patel in connection with the sectarian clashes to the probe agencies, but the state police removed their names from the reports, the prosecution has told the state high court.
Minister of State for Higher Education Kodnani and Patel are accused of leading mobs in the Naroda Patiya and Naroda Gaam localities here in 2002 – 106 people were killed in the these incidents alone.
Special Public Prosecutor J.M. Panchal told the high court Thursday that the riot victims had mentioned the name of Kodnani and Patel in the statements recorded by them with the investigative agencies.
The hearing of the case is to continue Friday. The court adjourned the proceedings at the end of the day Thursday as the lawyers representing Kodnani and Patel could not complete their arguments.
On Friday, the high court will hear an appeal filed by Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail of the two in connection with the post-Godhra riot cases in Ahmedabad.
According to witnesses’ accounts, Kodnani was part of a mob that attacked members of the minority community in 2002.