Date:31/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/31/stories/2008013154581300.htm

National

‘No decision yet on appeal’

Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil on Wednesday said the Maharashtra government had not ruled out filing appeals against politicians or police officials who were acquitted in cases relating to the Mumbai 1992-93 riots. He told reporters that the law and judiciary department was still deciding whether the State should go in for appeal in certain cases. The cases would be decided on merit and on the basis of available evidence, he added.

Mr. Patil was grilled by reporters after the State government submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court which does not mention anything about going in for appeal in the riot cases. He said the government was very serious about the implementation of the Srikrishna Commission’s report. Among the cases which the government is silent are the ones relating to Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray for provocative writings in Saamna.

In the case of Farooq Mapkar, a riot victim who is also an accused, the State government had asked the CBI to reinvestigate the matter.

However, the government said the CBI had declined.

Now the government planned to take out a notification in this regard so that the CBI had to inquire into the case.