Can the renowned lawyer do justice to the 2002 Gujarat riot victims while referring business deals to the Narendra Modi government? Tehelka exclusive expose.
Legal eagle Harish Salve has a an enviable clutch of corporate clients
The Special Investigation Team that was formed by the Supreme Court to reinvestigate the Godhra riot cases has long since failed its mandate. It has been unsuccessful in nailing the senior functionaries of the Gujarat government while being content with the cosmetic arraigning of a few inspectors and VHP members with the sole exception of the arrest of BJP MLA Mayaben Kodnani.
It has been left to Zakia Jafri, the 72-year old widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri — who was butchered by a riotous Hindu mob — and a few human rights activists to doggedly pursue the riot cases in the Supreme Court.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve has been the amicus curiae — in simple words, friend of the court — in the petition which resulted in the re-investigation of nine major Gujarat riot cases including the massacres of Naroda Goan, Naroda Patiya and Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad where more than 200 Muslim men, women and children were hacked and burnt to death.
In India, while handling cases of extreme public interest, the courts have often appointed senior advocates with impeccable integrity as amicus curiae. The job of an amicus is to assist the court with objective and impartial analysis so that justice is served and public interest prevails.
In his capacity as an amicus for the past eight years, Salve has been assisting the court in finding the truth of the Gujarat riots. It was Salve who, along with the counsel of the Gujarat government, finalised the names of the police officers who were appointed SIT members.
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Dear Sir,
ReplyDeleteThis has reference to the blog post "Whose Amicus Curiae is Harish Salve"?;I've to say, that although, Mr. Salve has had many corporate clients- who've business deals with Gujarat Government headed by Mr.Narendra Modi, if he has impeccable credentials and clean track record as Amicus curiae in such cases, he should avoid any sort of conflict of interest in such cases and act in a non partisan manner to elicit truth in all Godhra Riot cases in which he is appointed by the court to assist it, and ensure that he should do his 100% as a friend of the court, and ensure that ultimately justice is meted out to post Gothra riot victims by putting to good use his legal experience and expertise.
Ms.Nirmala P.Rao,
Legal Professional and blogger through www.wizard-legal25.blogspot.com