Maya Kodnani wants Amit Shah and 13 others as alibi in 2002 Gujarat riots case

The application was moved before a special designated court, in connection with the Naroda Gam massacre case.

Maya Kodnani (File)

One of the main accused in the Gujarat riots case, former minister Maya Kodnani, has reportedly moved an application requesting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah's inclusion as her defense, during her examination. 

The application was moved before a special designated court, in connection with the Naroda Gam massacre case linked to the 2002 post-Godhra riots. According to a report in Indian Express, the application includes summons' request for 13 others, in addition to Shah. Kodnani moved the application earlier this month under section 233 (3) of The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The objective of the application is to garner enough alibi that can prove that Kodnani was at the Gujarat Assembly at the time when the riots broke out February 28, 2002.

Other people included in the application are:

• Amrish Govindbhai Patel, ex BJP MLA, Asarwa
• Rayeeben Somaji Chauhan, a resident of Memnagar, whose baby Kodnani claims to have delivered that day at her Shivam maternity hospital
• Jasuben Jayantibhai Jadav, her hospital staff 
• Dr Dhaval Rajnikant Shah who also works at her hospital
• Surendra Tahilram Kodnani, her husband 
• Dr Anil Chadha, the then superintendent Civil hospital among others