Tuesday, July 11 2006 17:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In a significant order, the Supreme Court today (July 11, 2006) directed a court here to examine the records in 13 cases relating to the 2002 Godhra riots and recommend whether they should be re-investigated.

A bench comprising judges K.G. Balakrishnan, Tarun Chatterjee and D.K. Jain asked Delhi's additional district and session judge to examine the cases on a petition filed by the National Human Rights Commission and some NGOs seeking fresh investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in these cases and to transfer them outside Gujarat for trial.

The 13 cases, in which hundreds of people lost their lives included the Sardarpura case, the Gulberg Society case, and the Naroda Patiya case.

The apex court requested Delhi's chief justice of Delhi to depute an additional district judge by July 17.

It said the judge should scrutinize the records and other material in the Supreme Court registry and submit a report by August 20 indicating whether a fresh investigation was required.

The bench listed the case for further hearing August 29.

Solicitor General G.E. Wahanvati informed the court that the CBI was prepared to render all assistance in this exercise and to conduct a re-investigation if the court so desired.