2002 Gujarat riots: SC refuses plea questioning SIT clean chit to Narendra Modi

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea questioning the clean chit given to Narendra Modi by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in its probe in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots.

A bench comprising justices H L Dattu and S A Bobde also declined the plea for reconstituting the SIT involving retired judges of the apex court, including a person from the minority community.

"Reconstitution of SIT at this stage is not good," the bench said, referring the plea questioning the SIT clean chit given to BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate.

After the bench's remark, advocate Fatima A, who had filed the petition, decided to withdraw it which was allowed.

The Gujarat-based advocate submitted, "Undue media hype was given by BJP that Modi has been given a clean chit by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT which was causing doubt and confusion in the minds of the people."

The apex court had on April 3 had expressed satisfaction over the progress of nine cases of post-Godhra riots in Gujarat probed by the SIT.

"There has been a lot of progress and out of nine cases, six are over and three are almost at final stage," a bench comprising Justices H L Dattu, Ranjana Prakash Desai and M Y Eqbal had said.

The SIT had submitted its final report in the apex court in March 2012 regarding Ahmedabad's Gulberg Society riot case giving a clean chit to Modi and others in 2002 riot cases.