Suspense continues to surround the G. T. Nanavati-Akshay Mehta judicial inquiry commission's stand on summoning Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for cross questioning on the 2002 communal riots.
The government pleader on Friday submitted a “sealed cover” to the special bench of the Gujarat High Court comprising Chief Justice S. J. Mukhopadhyaya and Justice Akil Kureshi containing the Commission's ‘decision' on the Jan Sangharsh Manch's demand for summoning Mr. Modi.
“No one knows what the Commission's stand is on the issue and the suspense will remain till June 30 when the sealed cover would be opened in the court,” Manch advocate Mukul Sinha, who was representing the riot victims, said.
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Dr. Sinha had questioned the need for such “dramatics” which only lengthened the process. The Commission's decision could have been announced in the open court, he said.
The Manch filed the petition in the High Court seeking a direction to the Commission to summon Mr. Modi after the latter held up a decision on the issue for over three years. The Manch had moved it to summon the Chief Minister on the grounds that he could throw some light on the circumstances prevailing then and could help in unearthing the truth. The Manch had also demanded summoning six others, including some top bureaucrats and police officials.
The Commission, however, only asked three of Mr. Modi's personal secretaries to file affidavits last year detailing their talks with some Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders during the riots. The three have done so stating that they did not remember the contents of the talks.
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