SC for CBI probe into ’93 firing
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered CBI investigation in the Hari Masjid firing in Mumbai in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition, which had led to communal riots in the city.
Seven persons were allegedly killed in the police firing in January 1993, which Srikrishna commission, later termed as “unprovoked” and uncalled for. A bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and A.R. Dave while rejecting Maharashtra government appeal against the Bombay HC’s order for the CBI, directed the agency to complete the investigation within six months and submit a report to the trial court.
The HC had ordered CBI probe on the petition of Farook Mohammed Kasim Mapkar and some other kin of the victims, who alleged that sub-inspector Nikhil Kapse had ordered “unprovoked” firing on a mob.
Mr Mapkar has sought registration of the case against Mr Kapse and some other police personnel by the CBI, while submitting that the state police had not even acted on the Srikrishna panel recommendation.
According to the petition in the HC, over 100 people had assembled in the Hari Masjid during the riots when the police team reached there and “opened unprovoked” firing.
On the other hand, police had alleged that the mob had collected arms inside the mosque and when the police party wanted to search it, it was attacked and they had to resort to firing in self-defence.
The Maharashtra government had taken the identical stand in the Supreme Court, which had stayed the HC order for CBI probe and lifted it with Friday’s verdict dismissing the state’s appeal.
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