<p>India's Supreme Court on Friday (February 3) issued a notice to the central government on pleas challenging its decision to block the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots – “India: The Modi Question”. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and MM Sundresh issued notices to the government and others on the pleas filed by veteran journalist N Ram, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan. The government has been asked to file its response within three weeks, and the matter has been posted for hearing in April.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are issuing notices. Counter affidavit be filed within three weeks. Rejoinder within two weeks after that," the bench said on Friday, reported news agency PTI. &nbsp;The bench also directed the central government to produce original records relating to the takedown order.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/propaganda-piece-and-colonial-mindset-india-slams-bbc-documentary-on-2002-gujarat-riots-554189">‘Propaganda piece, reveals colonial mindset’: India slams BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots</a></strong></p>

<p>Senior advocate CU Singh appearing for TMC leader Mahua Moitra, veteran journalist N Ram and advocate Prashant Bhushan told the Supreme Court Bench that IT rules mandated the publication of emergency blocking orders within 48 hours. Singh added the government, based on the secret order, blocked the BBC documentary on the&nbsp;Gujarat riots and based on this order, universities were taking action against students for screening the documentary.&nbsp;<br />
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, meanwhile, said, that it was a fact that people had been accessing those videos (of the documentary), news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Friday, the Supreme Court also issued a notice to the central government on a plea filed by advocate ML Sharma. The plea filed by advocate Sharma urged the court to call and examine both parts of the documentary,&nbsp;and sought action against those who were responsible and were directly and indirectly involved with the riots in Gujarat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The pleas filed by journalist N Ram and others sought direction to quash all orders which directly and indirectly block online access to the documentary. The pleas termed the government's decision (to block the documentary) as “manifestly arbitrary” and “unconstitutional”. The petitioners also sought restoration of their tweets which shared the links to the documentary. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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India's Supreme Court on Friday (February 3) issued a notice to the central government on pleas challenging its decision to block the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots – “India: The Modi Question”.

India's Supreme Court on Friday (February 3) issued a notice to the central government on pleas challenging its decision to block the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots – “India: The Modi Question”. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and MM Sundresh issued notices to the government and others on the pleas filed by veteran journalist N Ram, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan. The government has been asked to file its response within three weeks, and the matter has been posted for hearing in April. "We are issuing notices. Counter affidavit be filed within three weeks. Rejoinder within two weeks after that," the bench said on Friday, reported news agency PTI. The bench also directed the central government to produce original records relating to the takedown order. ALSO READ | ‘Propaganda piece, reveals colonial mindset’: India slams BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots Senior advocate CU Singh appearing for TMC leader Mahua Moitra, veteran journalist N Ram and advocate Prashant Bhushan told the Supreme Court Bench that IT rules mandated the publication of emergency blocking orders within 48 hours. Singh added the government, based on the secret order, blocked the BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots and based on this order, universities were taking action against students for screening the documentary. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, meanwhile, said, that it was a fact that people had been accessing those videos (of the documentary), news agency ANI reported. On Friday, the Supreme Court also issued a notice to the central government on a plea filed by advocate ML Sharma. The plea filed by advocate Sharma urged the court to call and examine both parts of the documentary, and sought action against those who were responsible and were directly and indirectly involved with the riots in Gujarat. The pleas filed by journalist N Ram and others sought direction to quash all orders which directly and indirectly block online access to the documentary. The pleas termed the government's decision (to block the documentary) as “manifestly arbitrary” and “unconstitutional”. The petitioners also sought restoration of their tweets which shared the links to the documentary. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: Supreme Court issues notice to govt over blocking BBC's documentary on Gujarat riots

<p>India's Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (January 19) slammed the BBC documentary&nbsp; aimed at discrediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi&nbsp;and termed it a "propaganda piece" and completely biased that still reveals a colonial mindset.&nbsp;The documentary, which is said to be based on some internal UK report, led to outrage on social media and was removed from some&nbsp;platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The United Kingdom's National broadcaster BBC released a two-part documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots that had taken place when PM Modi was the chief minister of the Western state of the nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Addressing a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said, "We think it is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias, lack of objectivity and continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This documentary is a reflection on the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again," Bagchi said. He added that it "makes us wonder about the purpose of this exercise and agenda behind it".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The controversial documentary even reached the British Parliament when Pakistan-origin MP Imran Hussain mentioned&nbsp;it in a question to which British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded, stating that he "doesn't agree with the characterisation".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The UK government's position on this has been clear and long-standing and hasn't changed, of course, we don't tolerate persecution where it appears anywhere but I am not sure I agree at all with the characterisation that the honourable gentleman has put forward," Sunak said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;India: News flagged as fake by the government to be banned on social media&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Media reports have mentioned that the documentary included remarks by former UK Secretary Jack Straw, who apparently said that they initiated an inquiry and sent a team to Gujarat to find out what had happened during the riots. As quoted by media outlets, Straw said that "they produced a very thorough report".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Responding to Straw's claims, Bagchi said that "he (Jack Straw) seems to be referring to some internal UK report. How do I have access to that? It's a 20-year-old report."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bagchi also added that what's the need to jump on it now and why should India give importance to it just because the UK says it?&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I heard words like inquiry and investigations. There is a reason why we use the colonial mindset. We don't use words loosely. What inquiry they were diplomats there...investigation, are they ruling the country," Bagchi asked.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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India's Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (January 19) slammed the BBC documentary aimed at discrediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and termed it a "propaganda piece" and completely biased that still reveals a colonial mindset.

India's Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (January 19) slammed the BBC documentary aimed at discrediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and termed it a "propaganda piece" and completely biased that still reveals a colonial mindset. The documentary, which is said to be based on some internal UK report, led to outrage on social media and was removed from some platforms. The United Kingdom's National broadcaster BBC released a two-part documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots that had taken place when PM Modi was the chief minister of the Western state of the nation. Addressing a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said, "We think it is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias, lack of objectivity and continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible." "This documentary is a reflection on the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again," Bagchi said. He added that it "makes us wonder about the purpose of this exercise and agenda behind it". The controversial documentary even reached the British Parliament when Pakistan-origin MP Imran Hussain mentioned it in a question to which British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded, stating that he "doesn't agree with the characterisation". "The UK government's position on this has been clear and long-standing and hasn't changed, of course, we don't tolerate persecution where it appears anywhere but I am not sure I agree at all with the characterisation that the honourable gentleman has put forward," Sunak said. WATCH | India: News flagged as fake by the government to be banned on social media × Media reports have mentioned that the documentary included remarks by former UK Secretary Jack Straw, who apparently said that they initiated an inquiry and sent a team to Gujarat to find out what had happened during the riots. As quoted by media outlets, Straw said that "they produced a very thorough report". Responding to Straw's claims, Bagchi said that "he (Jack Straw) seems to be referring to some internal UK report. How do I have access to that? It's a 20-year-old report." Bagchi also added that what's the need to jump on it now and why should India give importance to it just because the UK says it? "I heard words like inquiry and investigations. There is a reason why we use the colonial mindset. We don't use words loosely. What inquiry they were diplomats there...investigation, are they ruling the country," Bagchi asked. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘Propaganda piece, reveals colonial mindset’: India slams BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots

<p>Gujarat High Court on Friday upheld the life imprisonment awarded to Babu Bajrangi. However, the court acquitted former BJP minister Maya Kodnani, currently out of jail on bail.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>A division bench of Justices Harsha Devani and AS Supehiya had reserved the order last August after the hearing concluded in 11 appeal petitions including four by Supreme Court appointed-Special Investigation Team (SIT).</p>

<p>In August 2012, a special court for SIT cases had sentenced 32 people, including Dr&nbsp;Kodnani and Bajrangi to life imprisonment. While Dr Maya Kodnani was sentenced to 28 years of imprisonment, Bajrangi was awarded life imprisonment till death. The trial court had also acquitted 29 other accused for want of evidence.</p>

<p>Out of the 32 convicts in the case, the High court today acquitted 17 people and upheld the conviction of 12. The verdict on two others is awaited. One of the accused in the case is dead.</p>

<p>The High Court also rejected the plea of Naroda Patiya riot victims who were seeking compensation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Around 58 people lost their lives when the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express was torched at the Godhra Railway Station on February 27, 2002.</p>

<p>Following the incident, on February 28 the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal declared Gujarat Bandh. A total of 97 people were killed by rioters in Ahmedabad's Naroda Patiya area on this day.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">2002 Gujarat riots case (Naroda Patiya): Out of the 32 convicts in the case, Gujarat High court acquitted 17 people including Maya Kodnani; conviction of 12 was upheld, verdict on 2 others awaited, 1 accused is dead.</p>
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Kodnani was charged with heading the riots at Naroda Patiya where 97 people were killed

Gujarat High Court on Friday upheld the life imprisonment awarded to Babu Bajrangi. However, the court acquitted former BJP minister Maya Kodnani, currently out of jail on bail. × A division bench of Justices Harsha Devani and AS Supehiya had reserved the order last August after the hearing concluded in 11 appeal petitions including four by Supreme Court appointed-Special Investigation Team (SIT). In August 2012, a special court for SIT cases had sentenced 32 people, including Dr Kodnani and Bajrangi to life imprisonment. While Dr Maya Kodnani was sentenced to 28 years of imprisonment, Bajrangi was awarded life imprisonment till death. The trial court had also acquitted 29 other accused for want of evidence. Out of the 32 convicts in the case, the High court today acquitted 17 people and upheld the conviction of 12. The verdict on two others is awaited. One of the accused in the case is dead. The High Court also rejected the plea of Naroda Patiya riot victims who were seeking compensation. Around 58 people lost their lives when the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express was torched at the Godhra Railway Station on February 27, 2002. Following the incident, on February 28 the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal declared Gujarat Bandh. A total of 97 people were killed by rioters in Ahmedabad's Naroda Patiya area on this day. 2002 Gujarat riots case (Naroda Patiya): Out of the 32 convicts in the case, Gujarat High court acquitted 17 people including Maya Kodnani; conviction of 12 was upheld, verdict on 2 others awaited, 1 accused is dead. — ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2018 × Gujarat High court rejects the appeal of Naroda Patiya riot victims seeking compensation. — ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2018 ×

Naroda Patiya riot case: Gujarat High Court acquits Maya Kodnani, upholds Babu Bajrangi's conviction

<p>The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Gujarat High Court order in connection with the re-building of mosques destroyed during the state&#39;s 2002 riots, triggered after the Godhra train carnage.</p>

<p>A bench, comprising of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice PC&nbsp;Pant, allowed the state government&#39;s appeal challenging the High Court verdict that it should reimburse for reconstruction and repair works of religious structures damaged during the 2002 riots.</p>

<p>The top&nbsp;court was hearing a petition filed by the Gujarat government challenging a 2012 High Court order directing it to compensate for damages caused to religious structures during the 2002 riots for the failure of law and order machinery.&nbsp;</p>


The Supreme Court allowed the Gujarat government's appeal challenging the high court verdict that it should reimburse for reconstruction and repair works of religious structures damaged during the 2002 riots

The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Gujarat High Court order in connection with the re-building of mosques destroyed during the state's 2002 riots, triggered after the Godhra train carnage. A bench, comprising of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice PC Pant, allowed the state government's appeal challenging the High Court verdict that it should reimburse for reconstruction and repair works of religious structures damaged during the 2002 riots. The top court was hearing a petition filed by the Gujarat government challenging a 2012 High Court order directing it to compensate for damages caused to religious structures during the 2002 riots for the failure of law and order machinery.

2002 Gujarat riots: Top court sets aside high court order on re-building destroyed mosques

<p>The Bombay High Court today upheld the conviction and life imprisonment of 11 people in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case while setting aside the acquittal of seven persons including policemen and doctors.</p>

<p>The court also dismissed an appeal filed by CBI seeking death penalty for three of the convicts.</p>

<p>&quot;The appeal against conviction filed by the 11 convicts (one convict is dead) is dismissed. The conviction and sentence is upheld,&quot; a division bench of Justices VK Tahilramani and Mridula Bhatkar said.</p>

<p>&quot;The appeal filed by the prosecution against the acquittal of seven persons (in the case) is allowed. The acquittal is set aside,&quot; the court said.</p>

<p>The bench said the seven persons, which includes five policemen and two doctors, are convicted under sections 218 (not performing their duties) and section 201 (tampering of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).</p>

<p>&quot;We will consider the undergone period in jail of these seven persons as their sentence. But we will impose a fine amount of them,&quot; the court said today.</p>

<p>The convicted policemen and doctors are - Narpat Singh, Idris Abdul Saiyed, Bikabhai Patel, Ramsingh Bhabhor, Sombhai Gori, Arun Kumar Prasad (doctor) and Sangeeta Kumar Prasad (doctor).</p>

<p>Now 18 people stand convicted in the case.</p>

<p>The court had last year reserved its judgement in the appeals filed by 11 persons convicted in the case and also the appeal filed by CBI for capital punishment to three of them.</p>

<p>A special court had on January 21, 2008 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment 11 men for gangraping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the Godhra riots.</p>

<p>The convicts later approached the high court here challenging their conviction and sought for the trial court&#39;s order to be quashed and set aside.</p>

<p>The CBI had also filed an appeal in the high court seeking harsher punishment of death for three of the convicted persons on the ground that they were the main perpetrators of the crime.</p>

<p>According to the prosecution, on March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano&#39;s family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed.</p>

<p>Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang raped while six other members of her family managed to escape from the mob.</p>

<p>The trial in the case began in Ahmedabad. However, after Bilkis expressed apprehensions that witnesses could be harmed and CBI evidence tampered, Supreme Court transferred the case to Mumbai in August 2004.</p>

<p>The 11 convicted are Jaswantbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana.</p>

<p>The convicts had challenged the order on three main grounds -- that all evidence in the case was fabricated by CBI, that Bilkis gave birth to a child after the incident, thus, the same proved that she could not have been gang raped, and the failure to find the bodies of some of her family members proves that they were not killed.</p>

<p>The CBI had sought enhancement of punishment for three of them- Jaswantbhai, Govindbhai and Radhesham Shah? on the grounds that they had raped Bilkis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


But the court dismissed an appeal filed by CBI seeking death penalty for three of the convicts

The Bombay High Court today upheld the conviction and life imprisonment of 11 people in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case while setting aside the acquittal of seven persons including policemen and doctors. The court also dismissed an appeal filed by CBI seeking death penalty for three of the convicts. "The appeal against conviction filed by the 11 convicts (one convict is dead) is dismissed. The conviction and sentence is upheld," a division bench of Justices VK Tahilramani and Mridula Bhatkar said. "The appeal filed by the prosecution against the acquittal of seven persons (in the case) is allowed. The acquittal is set aside," the court said. The bench said the seven persons, which includes five policemen and two doctors, are convicted under sections 218 (not performing their duties) and section 201 (tampering of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). "We will consider the undergone period in jail of these seven persons as their sentence. But we will impose a fine amount of them," the court said today. The convicted policemen and doctors are - Narpat Singh, Idris Abdul Saiyed, Bikabhai Patel, Ramsingh Bhabhor, Sombhai Gori, Arun Kumar Prasad (doctor) and Sangeeta Kumar Prasad (doctor). Now 18 people stand convicted in the case. The court had last year reserved its judgement in the appeals filed by 11 persons convicted in the case and also the appeal filed by CBI for capital punishment to three of them. A special court had on January 21, 2008 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment 11 men for gangraping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the Godhra riots. The convicts later approached the high court here challenging their conviction and sought for the trial court's order to be quashed and set aside. The CBI had also filed an appeal in the high court seeking harsher punishment of death for three of the convicted persons on the ground that they were the main perpetrators of the crime. According to the prosecution, on March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano's family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed. Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang raped while six other members of her family managed to escape from the mob. The trial in the case began in Ahmedabad. However, after Bilkis expressed apprehensions that witnesses could be harmed and CBI evidence tampered, Supreme Court transferred the case to Mumbai in August 2004. The 11 convicted are Jaswantbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana. The convicts had challenged the order on three main grounds -- that all evidence in the case was fabricated by CBI, that Bilkis gave birth to a child after the incident, thus, the same proved that she could not have been gang raped, and the failure to find the bodies of some of her family members proves that they were not killed. The CBI had sought enhancement of punishment for three of them- Jaswantbhai, Govindbhai and Radhesham Shah? on the grounds that they had raped Bilkis. (PTI)

Bilkis Bano gang rape case: Bombay HC upholds life imprisonment of 11 convicts

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India: Supreme Court issues notice to govt over blocking BBC's documentary on Gujarat riots

‘Propaganda piece, reveals colonial mindset’: India slams BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots

Naroda Patiya riot case: Gujarat High Court acquits Maya Kodnani, upholds Babu Bajrangi's conviction

2002 Gujarat riots: Top court sets aside high court order on re-building destroyed mosques

Bilkis Bano gang rape case: Bombay HC upholds life imprisonment of 11 convicts