Thursday, December 30 2004 14:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Gujarat police has asked for the terms and reference of inquiry of the Railway Ministry appointed U C Banerjee Commission, to probe the technical aspects of fire inside S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express, after it summoned three IPS to depose before it.

"The State police has asked for the terms and reference of inquiry of the high-powered technical commission to ascertain if the police officials need to depose in present or would their affidavits suffice", a senior police official told sources in Ahmedabad today (Dec 30, 2004).

Among the IPS officers summoned is former Additional Director General of Police (intelligence) R B Sreekumar, whose affidavit and deposition before the Gujarat Government appointed Nanavati-Shah Commission in August, revealed how policemen functioned under 'political pressure' during the post-Godhra riots.

Sreekumar, both in his affidavit and during deposition, maintained that communal trouble had been stirring up onboard Sabarmati Express right since it was returning from Ayodhya with Karsevaks to Ahmedabad as a communal incident had occurred in Rudauli in Uttar Pradesh even before the Godhra incident.

The other two officials summoned are former Panchmahals superintendent of police Raju Bhargav and former Railways police official J K Bhatt.

The Banerjee Commission, formed by Railway Minister Laloo Yadav and comprising experts, has already visited the charred S-6 coach at the Godhra railway station twice for its probe and is also recording depositions of officials concerned.

The Nanavati-Shah Commission has recorded statements of the train carnage survivors, railway officials, riot victims and is currently under the process of recording cross-examination of police officials.