RK Raghavan’s New Book “A Road Well Traveled”
RK Raghavan’s new book “A Road Well Traveled”. Gujarat Riots Investigation: Modi did not drink even a cup of tea during SIT’s nine-hour inquiry.
When Narendra Modi appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he not only answered more than a hundred questions calmly and patiently during the nine-hour questioning.
But he was so appreciative He remained restrained and focused that he did not accept even a cup of tea despite repeated requests from investigators. The SIT questioned Modi, the then chief minister of the state, over the Gujarat riots.
SIT chief Raghavan gave much new information in his book
SIT chief RK Raghavan has revealed much new information on this issue in his new book A Road Well Traveled.
This inquiry had been in the news for political reasons, but all the questions related to it calmed down when SIT gave a clean chit to Modi.
The SIT was formed in the direction of the Supreme Court to investigate the 2002 riots. Prior to assuming the leadership of SIT, Raghavan had also served as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief.
He investigated several high-profile cases like the Bofors scandal, fodder scams, and match-fixing in cricket during Rajiv Gandhi’s prime ministership.
The then CM of Gujarat himself went to the SIT office for questioning
Raghavan has written in his autobiography, Modi himself agreed to come to the SIT office in Gandhinagar and also brought a water bottle with him when he came for questioning.
Raghavan writes we had told the Chief Minister (Modi) staff that he himself had to come to the SIT office because if he was questioned elsewhere it could be seen as favoritism.
Modi understood the hidden sentiment in our stand and immediately agreed to come to the SIT office.
According to Raghavan, he took the unnatural step of giving the responsibility of questioning Modi to SIT member Ashok Malhotra and was done so that no such mischievous allegations could be made that something was fixed between Modi and him (Raghavan).
Raghavan’s move was justified by court friend Harish Salve several months later. According to Raghavan, he had not consulted Salve before this.
Neither ate nor prepared for any break
Raghavan, a Tamil Nadu cadre IPS officer, writes that Modi was questioned in his private chamber. Ashok Malhotra later told him that during this late-night marathon questioning, Modi never lost his cool.
Not even once did Modi feel that he was unnecessarily trying to add something to his answer. When Malhotra asked him for lunch, he politely turned it down as well.
Modi’s energy level was that he barely agreed to a short break and that too to relieve Malhotra, not for himself.
SIT examining professional methods
In the book, RK Raghavan described the SIT investigation as accurate and completely professional. According to Raghavan, Modi’s opponents sitting in Gujarat and Delhi wanted to influence the investigation.
Raghavan writes, these same people campaigned against me, accusing me of favoring the Chief Minister. The extent is that central agencies were misused to monitor my conversations over the telephone.
However, he felt nothing against me. Fortunately, the Supreme Court stood in my favor and defended me with full force.
I was considered inconvenient because I refused to accept the argument that the state administration was complicit with the rioters, so as to target a particular community.
