Naroda Gam riot case: 2 defence witnesses say Kodnani wasn't

Two defence witnesses today told a special court here that former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani was not a part of the mob which killed 11 Muslims in Naroda Gam area here during the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
Kalu Bharwad and Mayur Patel, residents of Naroda Gam, told judge P B Desai that they were standing near Narayan Chawl from where they saw the mob moving towards Kumbharwaas.
Kodnani and other nine persons among the accused whom they knew were not a part of this mob, the two witnesses said.
Kanu Bharwad, another defence witness who was examined today, said that several Muslim families fleeing the mob took shelter in Bharwadwaas locality behind his house.

Among these were three prosecution witnesses -- Abid, Makhsud and Yunus -- who had told the court earlier that they saw Muslims being killed, and identified some of the accused.
Kanu Bharwad, however, said in his deposition that they could not have seen the killings, as they had taken shelter in Bharwadwaas for most part of February 28, 2002, the day the massacre took place.

The hearing of the case would continue on Wednesday.
Naroda Gam is one of the nine riot cases from Gujarat which were investigated by the Supreme Court-appointed special investigation team.
Eleven people belonging to the minority community were killed in Naroda Gam, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

A total of 82 persons, including Kodnani, are facing the trial.