The Gujarat High Court today rejected a petition seeking a direction to the Nanavati Commission to call State Chief Minister Narendra Modi for questioning in connection with the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
The court held that it was the discretion of the commission whether to summon a person or not. A division bench of Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice Sonia Gokani had last week reserved its order on a petition by the NGO Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) representing some of the 2002 riot victims.
It is reported that the High Court order is seen as a relief for Mr Modi. Petitioner had approached the High Court after the Commission of Justice G T Nanavati and Justice Akshay Mehta, probing the 2002 riot cases had rejected NGO’s plea to summon Mr Modi for cross-examination.
Petitioner's advocate, Mukul Sinha, had submitted in the court that Mr Modi should be summoned by the Commission as the role of Chief Minister falls within the ambit of the inquiry commission.
