Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Monday said Maya Kodnani, a party leader convicted of murder in the Gujarat riots case, was not present at Naroda Gam on February 28, 2002, the day of the massacre, ANI reported. “She was present in the Gujarat Assembly at 8.30 am,” he said as he appeared as a defence witness for Kodnani in the case.
She has been accused of inciting and leading a mob to carry out violent attacks in Naroda Gam, leading to the death of 11 Muslims. She was convicted in 2012 for her role in Naroda Patiya massacre and sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Shah further said he had visited the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad on that day between 9.30 am and 9.45 am where he had met Kodnani, ANI reported. Kodnani had claimed that she was not present when 11 Muslims were killed in Naroda Gaam.
“I was at the hospital for quite some time,” Shah said in the court, News18 reported. “I remember seeing Jaideep Patel [then Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Gujarat general secretary] and other leaders. I tried to pacify the crowd but they surrounded me. Police had to take me and Mayaben [Kodnani] away from the spot in one of their jeeps. This was around 11 am to 11.15 am.”
Shah said he had heard about the riots in Godhra after then-Home Minister Gordhan Zadafia announced it in the state Assembly. “I don’t exactly remember where I was sitting when Maya Kodnani arrived at the hospital but the police did cordon us and take us away for protection,” Shah said, according to News18. “Kodnani did not go to Naroda Gam between being at the Assembly session and Sola Hospital.”
On September 12, the court had asked Shah to appear as a witness for Kodnani in the case. The judge had said Shah must appear either in person or assign a lawyer on September 18 to respond to Kodnani’s claims that she was not present when 11 Muslims were killed in Naroda Gam.
Shah and 13 others were listed as defence witnesses in her trial. Besides Shah, all others had been cross-examined by the court.
Kodnani has claimed that on February 28, 2002, the day of the riots in Gujarat, she was with Shah at the Gujarat Assembly. Kodnani is the key accused in the Naroda Gam massacre case and was convicted in the Naroda Patiya case.
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