Guj riots: Judge withdraws himself from Kodnani hearing

New Delhi: The judge hearing Gujarat Women and Child Development Minister Maya Kodnani's bail application has withdrawn from the case.

Justice Anant Dave has withdrawn from the hearing of cancellation of bail application saying he does not want to hear the case any longer. Though Justice Dave has given no reason to withdraw himself from hearing the case in the past, when he has given bail to accused in various riot cases, there have been allegations of the judge having BJP leanings.

Kodnani is accused of instigating a mob at Naroda Patiya and Naroda village in Ahmedabad city during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Kodnani had been declared an absconder when the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Gujarat riots case for not responding to a summons to depose in the Naroda Patia massacre case.

The SIT has evidence from Kodnani's mobile phone records that she was in touch with VHP and Bajrang leaders during the 2002 riots.

She was issued summons, twice each in December and January but she did not appear. She was officially declared an absconder on February 1. Kodnani then immediately filed for anticipatory bail, which it comes up for hearing on Thursday.

The Opposition now demands that she be sacked immediately.