Court admits plea to transfer Gulbarg massacre case

GANDHINAGAR - The Gujarat High Court Friday admitted a petition seeking transfer of the Gulbarg Society massacre case of the 2002 communal riots from the court of Judge B.U. Joshi.

Justice Anant Dave admitted the petition filed by eyewitnesses of the massacre who alleged bias and unprofessional conduct by Special Court Judge B.U. Joshi and sought the hearing of the case to be transferred from his court. The case is now posted for March 15.

Though not staying the trial, the high court advised petitioners to mention the fact that the Transfer Petition was admitted before it which normally means that proceedings do not proceed until it is heard and disposed of.

The petition lays down detailed grounds for the transfer, including hostile and aggressive remarks, not admitting crucial evidence and curtailing the identification process of the accused.

Earlier the eye-witnesses had approached principal sessions judge G.B. Shah in January but their plea was dismissed without getting into the merit of the petition. Shah said since the special courts have been appointed by the Gujarat High Court, it was the right forum for the petitioners to secure their grievance redressal.

Sixty-nine people died in the Gulbarg Society massacre, including former Congress MP Ehsaan Jaffri.