Apex court recalls notice on Narendra Modi

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday recalled its notice to the Gujarat government and the Nanavati Commission on a plea to summon Chief Minister Narendra Modi for recording his statement on his alleged role in the 2002 post-Godhra riots in the state.

A bench of Justice D.K. Jain and Justice Anil R. Dave recalled the order issuing notice, noting that it was issued not on a plea for summoning Modi by the Commission, but related to the summoning of some witness in the Godhra train burning case.

The court had issued notice on a petition by Amrish N. Patel on Monday.

Since a petition relating to the summoning of Modi before the Nanavati Commission is yet to be taken up by the top court, the bench took serious note of senior counsel Colin Gonsalves going wrong in the case.

"We trusted you, but this case has no connection to the witnesses mentioned. Hence we are recalling our order," the court said.

As another case relating to the summoning of Modi by the Nanavati commission is yet to be put up for hearing, the court directed that it will be taken up on March 26.

The riots were triggered after 58 Kar Sevaks returning from Ayodhya were burnt to death in a fire in coach S-6 of Sabarmati Express at Godhra railway station on Feb 27, 2002.

The Nanavati Commission was set up in 2002 in the wake of the riots. In 2004, its terms of reference were expanded to include the examination of Modi's role in the riots.