Ahmedabad:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for ten hours on Saturday over his role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. The day after, SIT Chief RK Raghavan told NDTV in an exclusive interview that he was satisfied with the outcome of Modi's questioning. Here is excerpt of the interview.
NDTV: For almost 10 hours, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was questioned by the SIT. It was for the first time that a CM was questioned in connection with Gujarat riots. We are now joined by the SIT Head, Mr RK Raghavan. Sir, thanks so much for talking to NDTV. Sir, are you satisfied with the way investigations are happening, particularly the questioning of the CM?
RK Raghavan: Yeah, I'm happy that he was present there and from all accounts, honestly, I have not spoken to Malhotra as yet because he came really late and so I've not seen him as yet. I've just seen him but not questioned him. But he seems satisfied and I'll have to discuss further with him. I suppose it was a satisfactory interaction between the Chief Minister and Malhotra.
NDTV: Sir, a CM involved here who has come for the questioning for the first time? Was there some kind of pressure, maybe particularly from media, so much of scanner being put on you?
RK Raghavan: Not at all. It's a very logical process. It is...anytime, anytime we should have had to do it. And we did that. That's nothing...no kudos to us or to anybody. It was a logical step and it's done.
NDTV: Sir, where do we go from here, I mean there have been reports that perhaps an FIR or further inquiry. Where do you go from here?
RK Raghavan: I don't want to speculate on that. I must have a good look at what has been collected in terms of evidence. I must appreciate evidence then possibly remit it for legal opinion and then finalise my report to the Supreme Court. Deadline is April 30th and I'm reasonably confident that I'll beat the deadline.
NDTV: Huge questions for almost 10 hours. Is there still a chance that he could be recalled?
RK Raghavan: That depends on the appreciation of evidence...that when it reaches my table I'll have a look at it and if there are some grey areas...some lacunae or some gaps, possibly we may think. But there is no certainty. That applies to every witness whom we have examined.
NDTV: And sir, lots of speculations on the duration of questioning - ten hours. Did it take so long because you had to cover the entire gamut of..
RK Raghavan: Absolutely, absolutely. That's my conjecture and also you understand that as he speaks, it has to be put down in writing, that's to be typed and then he has to ensure that it has to be an accurate, accurate reproduction of what he said, then ultimately signed by him.
NDTV: Lots of speculation in media about you not being present at the SIT office. Was it mandatory for you?
RK Raghavan: Absolutely no. Understand, it's a CBI practice, I'm a CBI bird. Old habits die hard. And in the CBI and State Vigilance very eminent personalities were questioned, witnesses or accused. I was not present. It is not expected. See, ultimately I'll be both judge and prosecutor. Mr Malhotra is the enquiry officer. So he's competent and I can't breathe down his neck. I didn't want to curb his style and this is CBI practice and just translated that practice here. Nothing unusual about (it) and I've been present here, monitoring incase of any...if my presence is needed, if there's a crisis, in terms of logistics and all that, I'm here and that's what I did. That's about all.
NDTV: Sir, despite carrying out in depth investigation, there has been certain people who would say that investigations have not been satisfactory. The case is also pending in the Supreme Court, how would you react to that?
RK Raghavan: See, ultimately there are two points of view on every matter, every contentious matter. These are contentious matters. Let them have, I respect their views. And I may (have) own views which may not square with theirs. But ultimately we have an arbitrator in the form of the judiciary. We all are fortunate in having a good judiciary, both at lower level and highest level. And I'm accountable to them. So, whatever I do, I'm conscious that I'm accountable to law and that is (what) I'm doing. So if people have contrary views, I don't get exercised about it. I try to argue with them reason with them whenever possible...reach a stage when reason doesn't hold sway, I just give up.
NDTV: Sir, April 30 is the deadline before which you have to file the report. Are you all set on track?
RK Raghavan: I think so. I think I'll beat the deadline. I think I'll beat the deadline, barring accidents.
NDTV: Particularly with regards to Zakia Jafri case, have you reached a stage where we can say that investigations are complete since Mr Modi has been questioned?
RK Raghavan: See, no investigation is complete. There are few more witnesses who have to be examined, a few probably less important or equally. I don't know, I've no idea. Malhotra enjoys total autonomy of action. So that is how we operate in CBI with total functional autonomy...and reports once in a while and so I suppose he has to examine a few more witnesses, I won't be able to name them. So even if he does all that I'm sure he will give me a report well in advance. I will have enough time to go through and also remit it to legal opinion and then submit it. It's a...we'll burn the midnight oil and (that's) absolutely certain.
NDTV: What about body language of Modi? Do you think he was comfortable with the questioning?
RK Raghavan: I don't know. I saw him on TV, just as you did. You did a good job I think (chuckles) you seemed relaxed... So I saw only on TV. I never went there. I suppose...because the point is we treat everyone with greatest courtesy. Malhotra is himself a man of great grace. We treat everybody with utmost courtesy. After all, we are all fellow human beings. We must learn to treat others, only then trust begets trust and respect begets respect. And that is my message to all my officers. Till now they have lived up to this message that we shall not mistreat or ill-treat anybody. We should earn the goodwill of witnesses as well as the accused. We are accountable to the law. That's all I always say. If you do something contrary to law or you violate law, you will have to face the music and we are accountable to the Supreme Court, no less an institution. So that has worked very well till now, touchwood. I hope the rest of the tenure of SIT the same courtesy we extend to others will prevail and I must compliment my staff. This is something which is forgotten. Lots of criticism (on how) SIT functions and all that. Have a heart to those men and some women...the way they strive, it's almost a labour of love. The kind of response I get from them when they work in the field....they work for very long hours, in tremendous adverse conditions with no great incentive. Take Malhotra for instance. Take me, both of us. Lived away from families, come here, spend lot of time here, the food is different, everything is different. And still we don't mind because we owe it to...Once Supreme Court gives us a task, we owe it to the Supreme Court so lot of privations we have undergone and what about my officers and men? They are doing an excellent job so it's unfair to blame them or suspect their bona fide. That's what pains me sometimes and some people quote it down that no this is bad, you are helping so and so...So ultimately I'd like to put this way, we don't want praise, I want charity. That's the ...that's my message to the rest of the world.
NDTV: One last question. Mr Malhotra was there for 10 hours. Was he exhausted?
RK Raghavan: Yeah, that's why I found him very fresh. He came and sat with me. I pulled him out. He's a very retiring person, very self-effacing. And when some other channel interviewed me, I made him sit next to me...great reluctance...I'm also not a great camera person but he's absolutely not. So he came and sat with me, he looked very fresh...That's discipline (of) the man. That's how he was chosen. I've known him vaguely in the CBI. But then all my inquiries revealed he was a man of great integrity and very hard-working. See this, he is a one-man team. You must highlight the fact that no Gujarat officers are associated.
NDTV: That's a fact that Mr Modi reiterated.
RK Raghavan: Oh, did he say so? I don't know. So he is...no Gujarat officer. So you can't beat us with that stick. Very objective, we are outsiders and we will do our best to get at the truth and project the truth in Supreme Court. I mean, we would have done our best. I hope our best is good enough. It passes muster with the apex court and further enquiry...taken to the next stage.
NDTV: But sure you seem satisfied with the outcome of the probe so far.
RK Raghavan: Yeah, yeah, the procedure adopted stood well and generally people are happy. My teams are happy and I'm contented because we've been able to make progress with limited resources available. And I hope with God's grace, we'll be able to succeed in arriving at the truth.
NDTV: Thank you so much, Sir.