Ahmedabad: Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt on Thursday moved the Gujarat High Court with a prayer to direct the Justice G T Nanavati Commission probing the riots cases to summon Chief Minister Narendra Modi before it.
In a PIL filed along with People`s Union of Civil Liberty, Bhatt has also demanded that the probe panel should be directed to submit its final report, not to the chief minister of the state but to the office of the state governor.
The hearing on the PIL commenced today before the division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala.
Advocate Yusuf Muchhala who made submissions on behalf of the petitioners today will continue his submission on the next date of hearing scheduled for October 5.
The Nanavati Commission was formed by the state government following the Godhra riots in February 2002. The state government, in 2004, had expanded the terms of reference of the probe panel which included the role and conduct of the then Chief Minister and other ministers.
Citing this expanded terms of reference, petitioners have claimed that, "....Commission has to enquire into the role and function of the Chief Minister in view of the terms of reference constituting the Commission."
"The role of the Chief Minister, both personal and constitutional, could only be properly and with any sort of veracity come on the record of the Commission and hence his presence is a must," petition reads.
PTI
