New Delhi, Aug 09: The Supreme Court (SC) has converted the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC’s) plea in the Best Bakery case into a public interest petition. This will enlarge the scope of the hearing to include larger questions relating to the criminal justice system. In a notice to the state government, the SC asked for an affidavit, to be submitted in two weeks, detailing statements of the witnesses given to the police and the trial court, a copy of the appeal filed in the high court and the names of lawyers who would represent the prosecution.
The bench comprising Chief Justice V.N. Khare, and Justices S.B. Sinha and Arun Kumar also directed the government to furnish details about steps taken to protect victims and witnesses in riot cases.
The court also sought details of action taken against people who had allegedly forced witnesses to change their statements in court.
Zahira Sheikh, whose family members were killed in the Best Bakery massacre, also moved the apex court on Friday with similar directions sought by the NHRC.

The SC also issued notice to the Centre to file an affidavit on whether it had evolved any plan in line with the suggestions of the Malimath Committee to protect witnesses and prevent them from turning hostile.
Senior counsel P.P. Rao, who represented the NHRC, described the Gujarat government’s appeal in the high court as “eyewash”.
He insisted that a fresh probe by an independent agency and retrial in the Best Bakery case outside Gujarat was the only way to secure justice for the victims’ families, since a proper investigation had not been conducted.