New Delhi: The Supreme Court on October 22 issued notices to the Centre, Gujarat government and the National Human Rights Comission (NHRC) on a petition filed by Jnanpith award winner Mahashweta Devi and 29 other public personalities seeking reopening of relief camps for Gujarat riot victims and transfer of all riot-related cases to CBI.

A Bench comprising Justice V N Khare, Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice Arun Kumar, after issuing the notices, directed the petition be tagged along with the one filed by noted danseuse Mallika Sarabhai on Gujarat riot issues.

The petitioners, including Bhism Sahni, Dileep Padgaonkar, Subha Mudgal and Ashok Vajpayee, requested the Court to issue a direction to the state government to reopen the relief camps till all rehabilitation work was complete.

Seeking transfer of all riot related criminal cases to CBI, they pleaded that special fast track courts be set up to try the cases after submission of the chargesheet by CBI.

The petitioners requested the Court to direct the state government to impose fine on officials if riots ever erupted in their area and also sought initiation of departmental and criminal proceedings against erring officials responsible for the February riots.

Involving NHRC, the petitioners said the body should be asked to monitor relief and rehabilitation measures being taken by the Gujarat government and also evolve a proper compensation scheme for the riot victims.

Going a step further than the earlier petitions, the present petitioners requested the Court that the government should consider allotting houses to victims and grant soft loans.

PTI