HC Judge declines to hear plea against Minister’s bail

Justice AS Dave of Gujarat HC declined to hear the petition of Special Investigation Team challenging anticipatory bail granted to state Minister Maya Kodnani and former VHP leader Jaydeep Patel in the 2002 riot cases.

Justice AS Dave of Gujarat High Court on Thursday declined to hear the petition of Special Investigation Team (SIT) challenging anticipatory bail granted to state Minister Maya Kodnani and former VHP leader Jaydeep Patel in the 2002 riot cases.

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When the matter came up for hearing before Justice Dave, he said “not before me”. The case will now be transferred to the court of another Judge and the date of hearing would be decided later.

Justice Dave did not give any reason for not hearing the case.

The Supreme Court-appointed SIT had moved the High Court challenging the anticipatory bail granted by a lower court to Kodnani, Minister of State for Higher Education, in the post-Godhra Naroda Patiya and Naroda Gam riot cases in Ahmedabad.

The probe agency had also challenged the anticipatory bail granted to Patel in Naroda Gam case.