Gujarat High Court dismisses the petition seeking a stay to investigate Modi's role in 2002 riots

BBC News, 24 July 2009

Court backs Gujarat riot probe

A court in the Indian state of Gujarat has rejected a bid to delay a probe into the role of the chief minister in communal riots in 2002.

More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died in the riots which began after 60 Hindus died in a fire on a train.

The cause of the fire has never been clearly established.

Hindu groups alleged that it was started by Muslim protesters, but an earlier inquiry said it was an accident.

Justice DH Vaghela ruled that the probe against the chief minister and 62 others should not be delayed.

The rejection of the petition means that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is now free to summon Mr Modi and his colleagues and question them about their role at the time.

The petition was filed in June by a former legislator of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJO), Kalubhai Maliwad, who is also listed for investigation.

The SIT's remit is to investigate the riots which followed the killing of 59 people in a fire on a train at Godhra after a skirmish with locals at the railway station.

A former member of the Indian Parliament, Ehsan Jaffri, was also killed in the rioting in Ahmedabad. His widow, Zakia Jaffri, had filed a different petition alleging that the chief minister and 62 of his colleagues and officers were involved in the riots.

In the past the Supreme Court has criticised the government of Gujarat for failing to protect its Muslim citizens.

Mr Modi's supporters have always said he could have done little under the circumstances to prevent the violence.

Last year, a commission of inquiry set up by the state government exonerated Mr Modi over the riots.