2002 post-Godhra riots: Ex-UK envoy deposes before court

A former British envoy has deposed before a special court through video conferencing in connection with a post-Godhra riot case, where four persons, including three British nationals, were killed in Sabarkantha district.

Former Deputy British High Commissioner to India Ian Reakes during the 2002 riots, deposed on Saturday from an office of a human rights organisation in London before designated judge Geeta Gopi.

The court had issued summons to Reakes and his colleague ex-Deputy British High Commissioner to India Howard Parkinson after the British government granted permission to the court to examine the envoys in the case last year.

The examination of the duo was sought by the original complainant and prime witness in the case Imran Dawood, a British national himself who had survived the attack on him and others near Prantij in Sabarkantha.

Reakes was posted as vice counsel with the office of British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai from August 1999 to May 2002, where he was in-charge of protection of British nationals in India.

He is presently an analyst with the Cabinet office of the United Kingdom.

During his deposition, Reakes told the court that he had visited Prantij on March 8-9, 2002 and gone to the scene of offence and other surrounding places with Gujarat police.

Reakes said he had visited Prantij on request of Bilal Dawood, a relative of one of the deceased in the case.