Insufficient proof to summon Modi before commission: Nanavati

The judicial commission that probed the 2002 Gujarar riots said in Ahmedabad on Wednesday that there is insufficient evidence to support allegations levelled against the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to summon him for questioning before the panel.

"He (Modi) was not summoned or he (Modi) was not asked to appear before us as we must have some evidence to support allegations against him (Modi)," Chairman of the Commission, retired Supreme Court Justice G T Nanavati told PTI, answering a query about the reasons for not summoning Modi.

"So as to call him (Modi) before the Commission to come and to answer questions (asked) by us by meeting us in person, we did not find it proper to call him in person," Nanavati said. However, Nanavati was cautious when asked this meant that the Commission has given a clean chit to a person who was not called for questioning by the probe body.

"Not necessarily. Evidence has to be considered. On the basis of evidence, actions should be taken and the findings are required to be recorded," Nanavati said. In its closure report submitted before the local court giving a clean chit to Modi, the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team had also concluded that there is not enough prosecutable evidence against him.

The Commission had sought investigations report and details of SIT's questioning of Modi in the complaint by Zakia Jafri, Gulburg case riot victim and wife of former Member of Parliament Ehsan Jafri, which had alleged that Modi, his cabinet colleagues, senior police officials as well as government officers were responsible for 2002 riots.

The SIT had provided all documents to the Commission about why they gave a clean chit to Modi and others.