New Delhi: After resisting tooth and nail any probe by an independent agency into riot cases, the Gujarat Government today (Dec 16, 2003) conceded before the Supreme Court that it will ask Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to inquire into the alleged gang rape of a pregnant woman Bilkis Yakoob Rasool by a mob during the post-Godhra riots.

Additional solicitor general Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the State, conceded before a Bench comprising Justice S Rajendra Babu, Justice AR Lakshmanan and Justice G P Mathur that the State Government would order CBI probe into the case of alleged gang rape of women from minority community at Panivala village six days after the train carnage at Godhra had the state engulfed in communal riots.

However, Rohatgi said this concession was limited to this particular case and "without prejudice" to the State's stand that Gujarat police were fully competent to probe it.

The Bench directed CBI to file a status report of its probe within eight weeks from today and adjourned the hearing on the case on the suggestion of victim's counsel, senior advocate Harish Salve.

Salve said despite clear information about the accused given in the first information report (FIR) by the victim, the police chose to file a closure report before the trial court on the technical ground of contradictions in the statements of Bilkis.

The court had, earlier, directed the Gujarat police to "keep off" Bilkis when it was alleged that she was being harassed by them on one pretext or the other even late at night.

PTI