Hearing on Modi’s quizzing by riots panel put off
By IANSWednesday, August 25, 2010
GANDHINAGAR - The hearing on a plea seeking summoning of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and three others before the Justice G.T. Nanavati commission probing the 2002 riot cases was Wednesday deferred till Sep 7.
Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM), an NGO representing the riot victims, approached the commission afresh after the Gujarat High Court direction July 23.
The high court asked the riot panel to “look into the matter after taking into consideration facts in their record”.
When the matter came up for hearing, advocate Tempton Nanavati representing the state sought more time.
Justice G.T. Nanavati, heading the commission, said that it was not fair to delay the hearing for one reason or the other. He said that the state was given enough time to prepare its statement.
The counsel tendered his apologies and said that he had received these instructions at the last moment.
The NGO has requested the commission to call officials of Modi’s office Omprakash Singh, Tanmay Mehta and Sanjay Bhavsar, for cross examination in connection with the 2002 riots.
