In April 2014, a most famous, significant and controversial ‘Clean Chit’ was retained by the Supreme Court on India. The august body refused to entertain a plea questioning the Special Investigation Team probe giving ‘Clean Chit’ to the then Gujarat Chief Minister in the 2002 riots case.

Describing the plea as ‘baseless’, the apex court also declined the appeal to reconstitute SIT. Readers might recall that the SIT headed by former CBI Director R K Raghavan had given clean chit to Shri Modiji for his alleged inaction during Gujarat riots. The Gulberg Society massacre was the case in which then CM Narendra Modi’s name figured during the trial and in former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri’s widow Zakia Jafri’s allegation of a larger conspiracy behind the 2002 riots.
The clean chit paved the way for Shri Modi to march ahead into the national political arena. Now, it has become the part of history and gone into folk lore.

Then incidentally more relief condescended upon ‘Innocent Police Officers’ of Gujarat. The prosecuting agency, Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) that had vehemently opposed the witnesses’ demand to put the senior cops on a trial on the basis of testimonies of witnesses before the court, put an end to accusations leveled against Gujarat Police of inaction and of being part of a larger conspiracy during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The survivors of this massacre had on various occasions requested the court to arraign senior police officers – then Ahmedabad police commissioner PC Pande, then joint police commissioner MK Tandon, then DCP PB Gondhi and former investigators – in the trial on charges of inaction and dereliction of duty. The court, on all occasions, rejected their request made under section 319 of the CrPC. And all that was interpreted as ‘Clean Chit’ by the Sangh Pariwar.

The ex-police officer, Vanjara is acquiring a cult status – the Hero of Gujarat.

And simultaneously the Apple of Eye for the Saffron Brigade – Sadhvi Pragya got the much expected relief. In May this year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) dropped all charges against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and five others citing lack of evidence against them in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.

“During investigation, sufficient evidences have not been found against Pragya Singh Thakur and five others,” the NIA had said, adding that it had submitted in the chargesheet “that the prosecution against them is not maintainable”.

Seven people were killed and 101 injured when two bombs fitted on a motorcycle exploded in Malegaon on September 29, 2008. It was described as a handiwork of people associated with Hindu right-wing groups.

The case was investigated initially by Joint Commissioner of Mumbai’s ATS Hemant Karkare who was killed during the 26/11 Mumbai attack. Before the NIA took over the case in 2011, ATS had booked 16 people but filed chargesheets on January 20, 2009, and April 21, 2011, against 14 accused in a Mumbai court.

That long list of ‘Clean Chits’ inspired me to do some personal research on ‘Chit’ before I move on ‘Clean Chit.’ And here are some interesting findings:

The word ‘Chit’ is usually referred to a favour or record of a sum due on someone. It may also refer to some offer or oath made in earnest earlier. Chit could be used in many places where one could have said, receipt, token, note etc. ‘Calling in a chit’ means the same as calling in a marker – asking for a note to be redeemed or paid off.

But there is flip side of the word ‘chit’ in jargon. ‘She’s a mere chit of a girl’ is a negative and unfavorable comment in English colloquy.

Now coming back to rather unexpected trajectory of Clean Chit Development, coming down heavily on the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for not investigating the role of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case and recording again the statements of witnesses recorded by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), a special court observed on Tuesday there were reasonable grounds to believe that the charges against her were prima facie true and rejected her bail plea. In its charge sheet, the NIA had said there was no case made out against Sadhvi Pragya.

According to Special Judge S.D. Tekale “cannot avoid her (Sadhvi’s) connection with the motorcycle” registered in her name and used in the blast. The NIA and the ATS both agreed that the LML Freedom motorcycle used in the blast was registered in her name. But in its supplementary chargesheet on May 13, the NIA said the motorcycle was in the possession of absconding accused Ramchandra Kalsangra, and was being used by him long before the blast.

The court ruled that at this prima facie stage, the fact of the ownership of the motorcycle cannot be ignored.

According to the order, a witness statement shows that Sadhvi Pragya knew of Kalsangra’s role in the blast. “…applicant made inquiry with Ramji as to how there were less casualties though her vehicle was used for causing blast and then Ramji said the reason.” This, the judge said, was evidence of Thakur’s “complicity” with Kalsangra in executing the blast.

The judge also rejected grounds of ill-health and incarceration for over seven years as reasons for granting bail. The court said that these grounds were raised during previous bail pleas but were rejected.

So, this ‘Clean Chit’ seems to be facing rough weather at this for this moment.

Source: merinews.com