AHMEDABAD: The G.T. Nanavati and K.G. Shah Commission on Monday brushed aside the Gujarat Government's objections to the authenticity of two compact discs containing a list of mobile phone calls made to and from some crucial numbers during the initial days of the post-Godhra communal riots in 2002.

Permission for manch

The judicial commission permitted the Jansangharsha Manch, which is fighting the cases on behalf of the riot victims, to submit by October 14 a printout of the calls made from and to the 43 numbers earlier listed by the organisation as having had a bearing on the riot situation.

Counsel argument

The issue cropped up after government counsel pleaded that the Forensic Science Laboratory be asked to establish the authenticity of the CDs, before processing and analysing them as requested by the Manch.

Its advocate Mukul Sinha pointed out that the CDs were prepared by Rahul Sharma, a senior police officer of the State intelligence branch, and it was improper to doubt their authenticity.

Moreover, the question raised was about the authenticity of not the CDs, but of the whereabouts of those holding the numbers listed by the Manch during the crucial period of the riots, Mr. Sinha said. The Manch offered to submit the list of the calls made to and from the 43 listed numbers if the Government was unwilling to do so, and the commission promptly accepted the offer.

The names submitted by the Manch in August 2006, demanding proper processing and analysis of the calls made to and from these numbers during the first few days after the Godhra train carnage, included Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his then Minister of State for Home Gordhan Jhadaphia, the then Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, the Director-General of Police, Vishwa Hindu Parishad international general secretary Pravin Togadia, some District Collectors, senior police and government officials and leaders of political parties.

CDs "relevant"

The Manch claimed that the data in the CDs had "great importance and relevance" in proving the facts in question about the riots and would establish that the senior police officials were not only guilty of dereliction of duty but they also connived with the perpetrators of the mass murder.

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