Disappointed by SC verdict, says Ehsan Jafri's son

The judgement in the Zakia Jafri case was delivered today.

Tanvir Jafri, son of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, on Friday said he was disappointed by the Supreme Court's verdict dismissing a petition challenging the clean chit given by the SIT to then chief minister Narendra Modi and others in 2002 post-Godhra riots cases.

Ehsan Jafri was killed during the riots. Zakia Jafri, his wife, had filed the petition challenging the Special Investigation Team's report giving a clean chit to Mr. Modi and 63 others.

"I am disappointed with the court verdict. Since I am out of the country, I will give a detailed statement after studying the judgement," Tanvir Jafri told PTI.

As per his lawyer, he was in Mecca for Haj pilgrimage, while Ms. Zakia lives in the United States with her daughter.

Senior Congress leader from Gujarat Arjun Modhwadia said there was no option other than to accept the Supreme Court's verdict.

"Many people were burnt alive during the riots. One of them was our party's former MP Ehsan Jafri. His wife Zakia was fighting the case even at the age of 85 because she was hoping to get justice. Now, there is no other option for us than to accept the Supreme Court verdict," said Mr. Modhwadia, former state Congress chief.

"The judgement in the Zakia Jafri case was delivered today and it was over in precisely two minutes. The SIT report of February 8, 2012, has been fully accepted by the SC. The protest petition dated April 15, 2013, has been completely rejected. There was no infraction of rule of law, said the Supreme Court, and accordingly the appeal has been dismissed," said activist Teesta Setalvad in her reaction.