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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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Probe panel’s directive to Gujarat

Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD: The G.T. Nanavati and K.G. Shah judicial inquiry commission, probing the Godhra train carnage and the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat in 2002, has virtually given an ultimatum to the State government to submit within a fortnight its analysis of the two compact discs (CDs), containing the mobile phone calls of some important political leaders and police officers during the crucial period.

The ultimatum was issued when the government pleader sought some more time for completing the analysis of the two CDs before the commission here on Saturday and the Jansangharsha Manch advocate, Mukul Sinha, representing the riot victims objecting to the inordinate delay in completing the analysis. Mr. Sinha had submitted an application for the analysis of the two CDs on October 14 last year, and the government was seeking more time for their “authentic analysis” through Forensic Science Laboratory experts since then.

The commission told the government pleader today that if the analysis of the CDs was not completed in a fortnight’s time, it would “ex-parte” accept the analysis of the Manch and go ahead with its inquiry.

The two CDs contained the list of the calls made to and from mobile phones of two major private sector mobile companies in the State from February 25 to March 7, 2002, both in Ahmedabad and Godhra.

The CDs were submitted to the commission by the former Bhavnagar district superintendent of police, Rahul Sharma, who was later transferred to the crime branch (Ahmedabad) and asked to assist the investigation into the Naroda-Patiya and Gulberg Society incidents in which over 150 people were burnt alive.

Mr. Sinha, who believed that a close analysis of the two CDs could lead to vital clues about the location of some of the important political leaders and police officers during the crucial period of the riots, was not allowed to present his side of the analysis by the commission which wanted to see both the reports together. But Mr. Sinha made a separate presentation for media persons clearly demonstrating the dubious role of some of the senior police officials.

Considering that the two CDs contained the list of calls made to and from over a million mobile numbers between February 27 and March 1, 2002, the Manch for the purpose of analysis listed 38 crucial numbers owned by political leaders and police officers.

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