Godhra cases: SIT seeks extension from SC

The special investigation team conducting preliminary inquiry on the complaint against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 62 others has sought extension from the Supreme Court, sources in said in Ahmedabad on Monday.

SIT, whose term ended on December 31, 2009, has already submitted a progress report on the probe to the apex court and further hearing on the matter is scheduled for later this month, they said.

The SIT, which was constituted by the apex court to investigate the Godhra train carnage case and eight other post-Godhra riot cases, was directed by the SC in April last to examine a complaint by Zakia Jaffery.

Zakia, whose husband and former Member of Parliament Ehsan Jaffrey was killed during the 2002 riots in Gulburg society along with 69 others has alleged that Modi, his cabinet colleagues, police officials and senior bureaucrats aided and abetted post-Godhra riots of 2002.

SIT chief R K Raghavan said the inquiry by the agency was still on.

"We are yet to get an extension from the SC," Raghavan told PTI when asked if the extension was already granted.

"But the investigation into the matter (Zakia's complaint) was still on. The hearing in SC is sometime in January," he added.