Friday, December 9 2005 19:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: The Railway Ministry-appointed U C Banerjee commission today (Dec 09, 2005) told the Nanavati-Shah Commission that if the latter wanted some documents from it then it could pass appropriate orders in that regard as it been conferred with the powers of a Commission.

The Banerjee Commission had on December two been conferred with the powers of a Commission under Commissions of Inquiry Act.

The Nanavati-Shah Commission is probing the Sabarmati Express train carnage and post-godhra communal riots incidents while the Banerjee Commission is probing the technical aspects of the fire that broke out inside the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express.

The Nanavati-Shah Commission have been seeking for some important documents from the Banerjee Commission and in its reply, the technical committee's secretary today said in a letter, "now both U C Banerjee commission and Nanavati-shah commission are of an equal status and have the powers of a civil court under section 4 of the Act. I have, therefore, been directed as above to convey that the Nanavati Commission may pass appropriate orders".

The Banerjee Commission had two weeks ago also failed to send across the documents sought by the Godhra Commission and had said that the documents were too bulky to be photo copied and sent across.

The Godhra commission would take this matter up for further hearing on December 17.