The G.T. Nanavati-Akshay Mehta judicial commission probing the Godhra train carnage and post-Godhra riots, on Monday informed the Gujarat High Court that it was in the process of "recording its findings" and was expected to complete the report in the next three or four months.
A letter to this effect was submitted before a Division Bench of Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhyaya and Anant Dave, which is hearing an application by the Jansangharsh Manch seeking a directive to the commission to summon Chief Minister Narendra Modi and six others for cross-examination.
The court kept the Manch application pending and fixed the next hearing for March 22 to give the commission time to complete "recording its findings." If it found anything adverse against Mr. Modi and the others, it would be required to summon them for cross-examination under Section 8(B) of the Judicial Inquiry Commission Act without the court having to issue any directive.
The Manch filed the application after the commission merely asked the three personal secretaries of Mr. Modi to file affidavits giving details of their telephonic talks with some of the riots accused, including the then Vishwa Hindu Parishad State general secretary, Jaideep Patel, one of the accused in the Naroda Gaam massacre case.
The commission was silent on the plea for summoning Mr. Modi, the then Minister of State for Home, Gordhan Jhadaphia, and some senior police officers on duty.
