Gujarat riots: HC asks Nanavati panel to clarify stand on summoning Modi

[Imran Khan]

Gujarat riots: HC asks Nanavati panel to clarify stand on summoning Modi
TIMES NEWS NETWORK & AGENCIES, Mar 22, 2010, 01.31pm IST


Tags:Gujarat riots|HC|Nanavati Commission|Gujarat chief minister|summon Narendra ModiGodhra case: Notice issued to Nanavati CommissionNEW DELHI: The Gujarat High Court on Monday asked the Nanavati Commission, which is probing the post-Godhra riot cases, to clarify whether it would summon chief minister Narendra Modi.

The High Court issued the notice to Nanawati Commission through the states advocate general to reply to the court in this regard by April 1.

The Gujarat High Court sent the notice on the petition filed by the Jan Sangharsh Manch, which has sought that the chief minister and the others depose before the Nanavati Commission, according to Times Now.

The Jan Sangharsh Manch, which represents the victims of the 2002 communal riots, had moved an application in April 2007 before the Nanavati Commission demanding that Modi be summoned for questioning.

The plea remained pending for over two years before the commission ruled against summoning Modi in September last year.

The commission had further stated in the order that allegations made in JSM's application were vague and based on wrong or unwarranted assumptions, PTI reported.

JSM had sought quashing of the Nanavati Commission's order in the Gujarat High Court and prayed that Modi and three others -- the then home minister Gordhan Zadafia, health minister Ashok Bhat and DCP Zone 5, R J Savani-- be called for cross examination with regard to the 2002 riots.

A single bench of Justice K S Jhaveri dismissed JSM's petition in November last year saying that the Commission has not completed its inquiry and still has power to summon Modi under section 8(b) of Commissions of Inquiry Act.

The JSM then filed an appeal before a division bench where it sought quashing of Commission's order and issuance of summons to Modi and three others for cross examination with regard to the 2002 riots.

The Nanavati Commission had last month informed the High Court on the status of its inquiry.

The Commission in its letter had said that it had completed analysis of all evidences collected and statements recorded and was about to begin writing the report.

The process of writing the report was likely to take 3-4 months, it had said.

The Commission stated that it had probed about 4,145 cases which took place between February 27, 2002 and May 31, 2002.

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team has already summoned Modi for questioning in connection with the Gulburg Society riot case on Sunday. However, he failed to appear before the team.

 

[Imran Khan]

Modi: Wasn't summoned on March 21 by panel on 2002 riots

Rohit Bhan, Monday March 22, 2010, Ahmedabad




The morning's headlines shouted that Narendra Modi had ignored the summons issued to him for the 21st of March by a panel that's investigating the Gujarat riots.

The afternoon saw Modi's retort. A letter addressed to the nation, in which he says the media got the date wrong. "The purveyors of untruth failed even to think that March 21, 2010 happens to be a Sunday and a public holiday. These purveyors of lies even did not once bother to check whether the key SIT officers... were present in Gujarat on March 21, 2010... To say that I was summoned on March 21 is completely false." (Read: Modi's full statement)

Last week, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) asked the Gujarat Chief Minister to appear before it in the case of Ehsan Jafri. A former Congress MP, Jafri was burnt alive in the infamous Gulbarg Society riots of February, 2002. Jafri's wife, Zakia, has in the Supreme Court accused Modi and his colleagues of conspiring in the communal riots that left more than 1000 people dead that year. Zakia alleges that Modi and senior ministers asked bureaucrats and senior policemen not to respond to calls for help by those being attacked. (Watch: Modi summoned for questioning in riots case: SIT Chief)

In his passionate letter, Modi says that there is a conspiracy to project him as a law-breaker. "They wanted to paint me as a person who refused to respond to the SIT."

The confusion, or the "misinformation campaign" as Modi calls it began the day SIT chief RK Raghavan said Modi had been summoned. The SIT mentioned a date - March 21- that was highlighted by the media. What the SIT did not clarify was that the summons holds valid for an entire week - and can be extended at Modi's request.

In Delhi, the BJP rallied around Modi. At a press conference, party leader Arun Jaitley said, ''Who invented this 21st date and leaked it to the media? They misused the media, and we ask the media to correct this false information.''

The BJP has squarely placed the blame at the SIT's door, implying that the SIT tried to build pressure on Modi by using the media. But Modi's critics say that he is simply trying to buy time. The SIT's own credibility has been challenged in the Supreme Court, and the case will next be heard on April 5. If Raghavan and his team face a setback there, Modi will have the edge.

For now, Modi has armed himself with rhetoric - "My beloved Countrymen, as the lies reach a crescendo as never before I am compelled to bring the facts before the countrymen... And I expect that the media would bring my deep pain and despair to the notice of the people."

In a separate development, the Gujarat High Court has asked another panel investigating the Gujarat riots to explain whether it will summon the Chief Minister. The Nanavati Commission had last year said that the first phase of its inquiry proved that there was nothing to suggest Modi played any part in the Godhra riots when the Sabarmati Express was set on fire - "a pre-planned conspiracy" according to the Commission. The second stage of this panel's inquiry is expected to be completed soon, and the court has asked it to explain by April 1 whether an appearance by Modi will be a part of this conclusive phase. (Read: Will Modi be summoned, panel asked)

 

[Imran Khan]

Narendra Modi loves to hide, says Congress




Attacking Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for not showing up before the Special Investigative Team (SIT) in connection with a Gujarat riots case, Congress on Sunday said that it was "contemptuous" and showed that he "loves to hide".

"The SIT's direction to Narendra Modi to appear before it shows the seriousness and importance attached to the issue by the apex court," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

"For Modi to avoid appearing on any ground or pretext is contemptuous and would show that he loves to hide," he said.

Modi was summoned by the SIT with regard to a complaint filed by Zakia Jaffery, wife of slain former MP Eshan Jaffrey in the 2002 Gulburg society riots case.