The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which had blown the lid off partisan investigation and prosecution into riots cases in Gujarat, on Monday September 6 stated in the Supreme Court that the prosecution now 'is far more responsible' and suggested its further strengthening.
This submission was made by NHRC counsel senior advocate T R Andhyarujina before a bench comprising Justice Ruma Pal, Justice S B Sinha and Justice S H Kapadia, which was hearing amicus curiae Harish Salve's plea for transfer of trials of cases pertaining to 14 serious cases of massacre outside Gujarat.
"The prosecution is far more responsible today," NHRC said but, when questioned about the change in stand, clarified that it would not stand in the way of transfer of cases if the court felt so on merit of each case.
Seeking reinvestigation by an independent agency into sensitive cases where the role of police had been questioned, Andhyarujina suggested strengthening of the prosecution and the court appoint a special rapporteur to oversee the manner in which prosecution was being carried out.
When the court asked the NHRC whether, after filing of the PIL in the Supreme Court, it had sent any team for further assessment of the situation in the state, the counsel replied in the negative.
Meanwhile, the court directed Salve to produce the case documents pertaining to his prayer for reinvestigation into sensitive cases, including Godhra, Naroda Patiya, Gulbarg, Sardarpura and Ode, by September 20 and fixed the next hearing of the case on September 27.
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