Centre files fresh affidavit in Ishrat Jahan case

The Centre on Wednesday filed a fresh affidavit in the Gujarat High Court in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, saying it never justified the action of Gujarat police and had no objection to an independent inquiry in the case.

"The Central government was not concerned with the merits of the action taken by the Gujarat Police and anything stated in the (earlier) affidavit was not intended to support or justify the action of the State police," the fresh affidavit filed in the High Court today said.

"If, on a proper consideration of the facts it is found that an independent inquiry and investigation has to be carried out, the Union of India would have no objection to this and would abide by the decision of the court," the affidavit filed by Under Secretary, Internal Security-VI in the Ministry of Home Affairs, RVS Mani said.

Judicial inquiry in the Ishrat Jahan case by magistrate SP Tamang had concluded that the encounter of Ishrat Jahan was fake.

After Magistrate Tamang's report, Gujarat government quoting an earlier affidavit filed by the Centre in the HC, had tried to justify the encounter by saying that as per Centre's affidavit Ishrat and three others were linked to Laskar-e-Taiba terror outfit.