New Delhi: The Supreme Court on September 25 asked Gujarat police to "keep off" the petitioner and riot victim Bilkis Yakub Rasool, who was raped during the Gujarat riots, till the court decided her plea for transfer of the sexual assault case from state police to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

When counsel for the petitioner pointed out that the Crime Branch of the state police was harassing her, a Bench comprising Justice S Rajendra Babu and AR Lakshmanan said, "It would be appropriate for the state police to keep off her till the court decides her plea for transfer of the case to CBI."

It was alleged by Bilkis that though the medical reports categorically state that she had been sexually assaulted, the state police, on technical plea, had closed the case.

After she filed a petition before the court seeking transfer of the case to CBI, the state government had entrusted the probe into the case to CID-CB, the Gujarat counsel informed the court.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Harish Salve alleged that she was called by police officials for questioning at 22:00 hours (IST) on September 16, on the plea that she had to be taken to Godhra for identification of the dead bodies.

The petitioner had refused to accompany the officers saying no dead body would be available at the place of the incident as it took place 18 months back.

PTI