Nanavati panel to hear plea on Modi on May 20

Justice Nanavati and Mehta Commission, which is probing post-Godhra riots in Gujarat, will hear on May 20 an application seeking cross-examination of chief minister Narendra Modi and others in the 2002 riots. The application was moved by Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) in 2007.

The hearing will take place following the JSM filing a fresh application to proceed further on their main application after recent arrest of former minister Maya Kodnani and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Jaideep Patel and the Supreme Court’s order for probing the role of Modi and 62 others in the 2002 riots.

In 2007, the JSM had filed the plea making the CD of cellphone data submitted to probe commission by IPS officer Rahul Sharma the basis for cross examination of chief minister Modi, then home minister for state Gordhan Zadafia and the IPS officers posted in the city about their locations on February 28, 2002, the day when Naroda Patia and Gulbarg Society massacres had taken place.

“The hearing of our application filed in 2007 has been concluded but the commission has not delivered an order yet,” said Mukul Sinha, convener of JSM. “Now the re-hearing will take place on May 20 because Justice (retired) Akshay Mehta is appointed as a member of the commission after of demise of Justice (retired) KG Shah, who heard the application along with Justice GT Nanavati.

“We have moved the fresh application as the situation has changed a great deal following the Gujarat high court giving importance to the CD submitted by Rahul Sharma while canceling the bail orders of Maya Kodnani and Jaideep Patel,” said Sinha.

High court had considered the CD, submitted as an evidence, to decide location of both the leaders who were arrested in connection with Naroda Patia and Naroda Gam massacre.

Source: DNA