Contempt plea against Gujarat disposed in Ishrat Jahan killing
By IANSMonday, November 22, 2010
GANDHINAGAR - The Gujarat High Court Monday disposed a contempt of court petition in the 2004 Ishrat Jahan staged shootout case following the state government’s decision to form a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter.
The state government, through an affidavit filed in the court, said that the home department issued a notification Nov 16 constituting the SIT.
The notification incorporated the court’s direction that the SIT shall not take any direct or indirect assistance of any state police officer involved in the case, the government said.
Mumbai college girl Ishrat Jahan, Pranesh Pillai alias Javed Sheikh, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed in a shootout with police on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in June 2004.
Police said the four were a part of Lashkar-e-Taiba module planning to kill Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Gopinath Pillai, father of Pranesh Pillai alias Javed, filed the contempt petition against the state government for not complying with the high court’s September order to form a SIT.
A court directed the government to constitute an SIT comprising Karnail Singh, joint commissioner of police, Delhi, and two Gujarat cadre Indian Police Service officers, Mohan Jha and Satish Verma.
The state government challenged the high court’s order in the apex court which rejected the plea Nov 12.
