Ahmedabad: Gujarat government has granted a three-month extension, second so far, to Justice M B Shah inquiry commission probing corruption charges levelled by opposition Congress against Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
"As there is still some procedure going on vis-a-vis examination of evidences, hence state government has granted further extension till the end of September this year," Bhaskar Tanna, special counsel for state government said.
The one-member panel, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge M B Shah, was set up by the state government on August 17, 2011 in the wake of Congress submitting a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil in June 2011 alleging that the Modi government had indulged in large scale corruption and extended undue favours to some industrial houses. The commission`s term was extended for three months in March this year.
The terms of reference of the Commission included inquiry into the allegations regarding favouritism towards certain corporate entities in gross negligence in this regard, if any, by the government, and any other allegation that the panel may deem fit to inquire, besides probe into the manner in which land had been allotted to industry houses, and analyse all tax concessions given in Gujarat vis-a-vis other states. The panel is also looking into post-1980 role of successive state governments in giving special relaxations to industrial houses.
PTI