The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that the Central Bureau of Investigation is prepared to undertake the investigation of 15 important Gujarat communal riots-related cases in which the trial has been stayed by the apex court.
The Centre, in its affidavit filed in the apex court on Sunday, has also said that trial of these cases should be held outside Gujarat.
The important cases include the Godhra train burning case, Gulbarg society case, Naroda Gram, Naroda Patia, Sardar Pura, Oudh, Vishnagar, Pandarwara and Kedia.
Several public interest litigations, including those of National Human Rights Commission, seeking transfer of these cases outside Gujarat are already pending before
this court.
NHRC and other petitioners are demanding a re-investigation as they believe that the state police did not carry out a fair probe into these cases because most of the accused belong to the Sangh Parivar and the Narendra Modi government was trying its best to shield the real culprits.
According to the petitioners, free and fair investigation is possible only if these cases are investigated by an independent investigative agency like the CBI.
Narendra Modi government is, however, strongly opposing the petition as it does not want the investigations of the cases to be transferred to CBI because CBI is under the control of Central government.
The Supreme Court will hear the petitions on Tuesday.
