The questioning of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the Gulbarg riots post-Godhra is a "very big step forward" in trying to understand and unravel the mysteries in the case and the SIT will submit its report to the Supreme Court on or before April 30,its head R K Raghavan said on Sunday. Declining to go into details of the questioning of 59-year-old Modi,he maintained that former CBI DIG A K Malhotra,who grilled the Chief Minister in two sessions yesterday,"looks relaxed" and said he has confidence in the officer's abilities. Raghavan said he was happy that the Special Investigation Team,appointed by the Supreme Court,could get the Chief Minister for questioning and that it will have to appreciate the evidence before making any comments on the issue. "It is a very big step forward in trying to understand and unravel quite a few mysteries in the matter.I am happy that we were able to get the CM for questioning. I have to appreciate the evidence," Raghavan told a private news channel. Raghavan said that the petition of Zakia Jafri,wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed along with 68 others in the Gulbarg Housing Society riots in 2002,was the SIT's bible and questions broadly related to it. "I have greatest concern for the victims and I have never failed to take my eye away from justice. I am conscious of the sacred trust given by the Supreme Court," the SIT chief said. Raghavan said broadly,he and Malhotra had discussed the questions to be put to Modi but he has not yet discussed the answers with him. "He (Malhotra) looks fresh and relaxed. I have not spoken to him (about the answers)."
