Gandhinagar:
It is a mixed bag for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The Nanavati Commission that's probing the 2002 riots in the state has decided not to summon him.
But it has asked the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) for details of calls made by its officers from their official cell phones when the state witnessed its worst ever communal riots between February 27, to March 1, 2002.
The commission has also asked three of Modi's secretaries to declare if they spoke to those indicted for inciting communal violence during that time.
And all this is based on a petition filed by the riot victims.
"There's evidence that calls were made from phones of CMO and conversations took place among Hindu leaders like Jaideep Patel, the then Home Minister, Gordhan Zadaphia, Health Minister, Ashok Bhatt," said Dr Mukul Sinha, Advocate Gujarat High Court.
Five years ago, the then DCP Rahul Sharma had submitted a report on phone calls made by top government officials and BJP leaders during the riots.
The Modi government then challenged the veracity of the report. Now, the big question is will the report from the CMO give the real picture?
"What kind of details will be coming from the CMO to the probe Commission, that's a million-dollar question. The commission could have asked for all these scientific evidences immediate after it was setup, but now after seven long years, question arises on whether the real data will be passed on or not," said M M Mehta, former Commisioner of Police.
Riot victims are now planning to file a writ petition before Gujarat High Court next week seeking intervention in issuing summons to Modi and two of his Cabinet colleagues to appear before the Commission.