Thursday, June 2 2005 15:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: The inquiry commission probing the Godhra train carnage and its aftermath today (Jun 2, 2005) said it would send letters to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Gujarat Governor Sundersingh Bhandari in connection with their statements in media about alleged 'mishandling' of the riots in 2002 by the State Government.

Following an application filed by advocate Mukul Sinha of a local NGO, representing the riot victims, the Nanavati-Shah Commission, would write letters to Vajpayee and Bhandari requesting them to either acknowledge their statements before the media or be present before the panel to express their opinion.

A similar letter would be written to the then Defence Minister George Fernandes in connection with queries regarding the deployment of Army in the State in 2002.

A copy of Sinha's application will also be sent to the three dignitaries along with the request letters.

The Commission also said it would hear on June 17 a fresh application filed by Sinha seeking to summon the prime witness in the Best Bakery case Zaheera Sheikh once again, as she had not replied to many questions during her cross-examination before the Commission on May 4. Sinha, in his application, has sought to summon Zaheera as she had refused to reply to several questions pertaining to the Best Bakery attack.