Dubbing the verdict in the 2002 Gulbarg society communal riots case as incomplete, former Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising on Thursday backed the stand of the victims and said it is still to be answered as to who conspired the infamous event which claimed several innocent lives.
Jaising told ANI, "To the extent that there is conviction it is welcome. I cannot say anything about the acquittals because I have not seen the evidence. But the tragedy is that there has been no judgment on the issue of conspiracy. And, therefore, I think the victims are right in saying that they did not get complete justice and that they will continue to fight."
"No one has answered the questions that who takes the responsibility for the complete breakdown of law and order in the state of Gujarat in 2002. And I think the Commissioners of Police who were in office at that time have a lot to answer for," she added.
Meanwhile, former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri's wife Zakia Jafri expressed her disappointment with the acquittal of 36 people in connection with this case and said that her fight would continue.
Zakia said the accused should have been punished as only then they would have understood the severity of their crime.
Recalling the horrific incident, she told ANI in Surat that the accused should have been given some strict punishment.
"I'm not asking for capital punishment, but at least there should be some strict action against them. If they stay ten-twenty years away from their family and children, they will understand the pain of separation," she added.
A special SIT court in, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, earlier in the day convicted 24 of the 66 accused in the 2002 post-Godhra Gulberg society riots case, which left 69 people including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri dead.
Special Court Judge P.B. Desai also acquitted 36 others, including sitting BJP corporator Bipin Patel, and also dropped the conspiracy charge against all accused.
The court said there is no evidence of criminal conspiracy in the case, while dropping Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Out of the 66 accused, six had died during the trial. Of the 24 convicted today, 11 have been charged with murder, while 13 others have been convicted for lesser offences.
The 24 convicted includes VHP leader Atul Vaidya. The quantum of punishment for those convicted in the case will be delivered on June 6.
