[Reader-list] Supreme Court deplores the leakage of SIT report

[anupam chakravartty]

New Delhi: The leakage of the report by the Special Investigation Team on
Gujarat riots of 2002 today evoked sharp reaction from the Supreme Court
which deplored the disclosure of its content to the media as a "betrayal" of
its trust.

"Whosoever had given report of SIT (to media) has betrayed the trust and
faith of this court. We disapprove it and deplore it," a three-judge Bench
headed by Arijit Pasayat said when the issue of leakage of SIT report was
raised before it.

The apex court was furious that the report of SIT, which was submitted to it
in a sealed cover and made available only to Gujarat government and amicus
curaie Harish Salve, was made public.

"If anyone has given the report to somebody, we do not approve the conduct.
It is a grossly irresponsible act and we feel ashamed," the Bench said
before reserving its order on the setting up of designated courts to try
riot cases and laying down modalities for providing protection to witnesses
during the trial of the cases.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for some of the victims, accused
the Gujarat Government counsel and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi of
divulging the content of the SIT report to the electronic media, a charge he
refuted.

"I am entitled to speak to television channel," Rohatgi said when Jaising
complained to the Bench that the Gujarat government counsel was speaking to
TV channels on the SIT report.