Godhra panel extension gets green signal

When the interim report was submitted on January 17, Laloo Yadav had claimed the final report would be placed before Winter Session, an indication that the report was complete. However, giving a three-month extension to the panel has raised questions about Yadav using the interim report for political purposes. The interim report had said that it was an ‘‘accidental fire’’ and had ruled out the possibility of inflammable liquid thrown from outside the coach.

‘‘With the elimination of the ‘petrol theory’, ‘miscreant activity theory’ as well as the ruling out of any possibility of ‘electrical fire’, the fire in S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express can at this stage be ascribed as an ‘accidental fire’,’’ the panel said.