The interim report of Banerjee committee had raised eyebrows when it sought to 'rubbish' the conspiracy theory of Gujarat government and termed as 'accidental' the fire in the S-6 coach that claimed 59 lives.
Justice (Retd) G T Nanavati, who heads the two-member inquiry, while reacting to an advocate's query during the commission's proceedings on Tuesday, said, 'This commission would not be tabling any interim report on the Godhra train carnage or the post-Godhra communal violence.'
Nanavati, a retired Supreme Court judge who recently tabled the 1984 anti-Sikh riots report, said, 'This commission
would give its final report as per the stipulated period. It would give its recommendations concerning the train carnage incident and also about the subsequent riots in Gujarat.'
The Nanavati-Shah commission is scheduled to table its report in December this year, unless it seeks an extension. The Gujarat government has already extended its term thrice.
The commission, appointed in April 2002, has completed a large part of its work, including the first two terms of reference, namely, recording of evidence of almost all riot victims, survivors of the train carnage, hearing compensation claims and verifying over 50,000
The Justice (Retd) Banerjee committee, a high-powered technical team, was appointed by the railway ministry on September 4, 2004, to investigate the technical aspects of the train burning incident. It had tabled its controversial interim report on January 17.
Asked when he would table his final report (on the technical findings concerning the fire in the S-6 coach), Justice Banerjee said his term had been extended till December 4 and he was hopeful that he would be able to table the report by then.
Advocate Deepak Shukla, representing the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had sought the interim report and findings of the Banerjee committee to be placed before Nanavati-Shah commission.
Shukla said, "Since Justice U C Banerjee had submitted the interim report, I wanted to know from the Nanavati-Shah Commission whether they were also planning to do the same."
Advocate Mukul Sinha, who represents several riot victims before the Nanavati-Shah commission, said, "There is absolutely no need to table an interim report by this commission as their job is almost over."
