The Gujarat govt has sought permission of the Election Commission for extension of service of former investigating officer in the Godhra train carnage case.
The Gujarat government has sought permission of the Election Commission for extension of service of former investigating officer in the Godhra train carnage case, Home department officials said.
This is the fifth time that the state government has initiated process for extension of service of Noel Parmar who was deputy superintendent of Railway police when the Godhra train carnage incident happened in 2002.
Service of Parmar, who retired on August 13, 2004, has been extended four times. He was posted as deputy commissioner
(Intelligence) in the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), when his fourth extension period ended on March 31 this year.
Parmar was the one who had done the investigation and filed the chargesheet in the train carnage case.
"We have asked for EC approval for extending the service of Parmar," Principal Secretary, Home, Balwant Singh said,
adding, "We are yet to get reply on this from the EC."
According to SIB chief PP Pande, Parmar's extension period had ended and he was presently on leave.
When asked if Parmar has given up his charge as his extension had ended, Pande said, "There is no question of handing over the charge. It automatically ceases when his extension period ends."
Pande added that they were waiting for the government decision on Parmar's extension.
Sources in the state EC said the state government's request has been forwarded to the Election Commission in New Delhi.
Parmar was the one who had recorded statement of Jabir Binyamin Behra, based on which the incident of burning of a coach of Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station in which 59 people were killed, was termed as a terror conspiracy and POTA was invoked on the accused.
Based on Behra's statement, Hussain Ibrahim Umarjee alias Maulana Umarji, the alleged mastermind who hatched the conspiracy, was arrested and booked under POTA.
According to SP of Western Railway police ND Solanki, Parmar's fourth extension expired on March 31 this year. "We are waiting for an official word from the government on further action," he said.
The Central POTA review committee appointed by the UPA government had recommended that POTA does not apply to the accused of Godhra train carnage.
The decision of the CRPC was challenged in the High Court where the decision of the review committee was upheld.
The victims have challenged the decision of the High Court in the Supreme Court.
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