Gandhinagar, Sep 13 (IANS) The Nanavati-Mehta judicial enquiry commission probing the 2002 Godhra carnage and riot cases Monday deferred till Sep 16 its hearing on summoning of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for questioning.
Earlier, the Nanavati-Mehta Commission had informed the Gujarat High Court that its decision of not summoning Modi and others for questioning was ‘not final’.
Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM), an NGO representing the riot victims, had moved an application before the commission to summon the chief minister and others.
The JSM had also demanded summoning of the then minister of state for home Gordhan Jhadapia, then health minister (now Gujarat Assembly speaker) Ashok Bhatt, then Deputy Commissioner of Police of Ahmedabad R.J. Savani and three staff members of the chief minister’s office — Omprakash Singh, Tanmay Mehta and Sanjay Bhavsar.
Earlier in 2009, the commission had rejected the JSM’s plea saying there was no substantial evidence to call the chief minister for questioning. The commission’s decision was challenged in the high court.
