Ahmedabad: An NGO representing some of
the 2002 Godhra riot victims on Friday filed an appeal before a
Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court against a single
Judge ruling not issuing summons to Chief Minister Narendra
Modi and six others for cross examination.
The Bench of Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhaya and
Justice M S Shah asked the NGO, Jan Sangarsh Manch (JSM), to
show on what basis the HC could interfere with the order of
the Judge and direct summoning of the witnesses.
It also sought the basis on which HC could hear appeal
and give decision in case the Nanavati Commission, probing the
riots, comes to the conclusion that there was no specific
evidence to summon Modi and others named by JSM.
The court fixed January 18 for next hearing.
Last month, Justice K S Jhaveri dismissed JSM's
petition, saying the Commission has not completed its inquiry
and still has powers to summon Modi under Section 8(b) of the
Commissions of Inquiry Act.
JSM's had sought quashing of the Commission's order of
September 18 and prayed that Modi and six others - two
Ministers, three officials of the Chief Minister's Office
(CMO) and a police officer -- be called for cross examination
with regard to the riots triggered by the torching of the
Sabarmati Express.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 18, 2009, 22:35