Vohra panel will only take stock of info

Vohra Committee was appointed only for taking stock of information on the nexus between criminals such as Dawood Ibrahim and politicians and bureaucrats, and the Union Government wasn’t supposed to do anything on the committee’s report, a counsel for the Centre told the Bombay High Court on Friday.

Vohra Committee was appointed only for taking stock of information on the nexus between criminals such as Dawood Ibrahim and politicians and bureaucrats, and the Union Government wasn’t supposed to do anything on the committee’s report, a counsel for the Centre told the Bombay High Court on Friday.

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The division bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice V.K. Tahilramani reacted saying: “Then what is the use of forming such committees.”

Referring to the objectives of the Vohra Committee, counsel Usha Kejriwal said the committee had given conclusions in the report. She told the court there were no recommendations made by the committee.

Irked with the statement, Justice Desai said: “There are at least some conclusions, you must act on those.”

The high court was hearing a petition filed by Shiv Sena worker from Solapur, Purushottam Barde seeking an inquiry into Revenue Minister Narayan Rane’s claim following November 26, 2008, terror attack. Rane had claimed some politicians had provided money and logistical support to the Pakistani attackers.

However, replying to Barde’s petition, Rane clarified he was misquoted and he had commented referring to the report submitted by Vohra Committee, which was formed after serial blasts rocked Mumbai in March 1993. Petitioner’s lawyer Dhairyasheel Sutar said that Barde has sought a high-level inquiry into the minister’s statement as the claim was serious enough to warrant investigation.

The judges, however, refused to enter into the controversy saying, “Let politicians make whatever statements they wish, we would not go into it.”