Malegaon panel has no money, staff for inquiry

The judicial inquiry into last year’s Malegaon communal flare-up has come to a halt for want of funds, manpower and an extension of ten...

The judicial inquiry into last year’s Malegaon communal flare-up has come to a halt for want of funds, manpower and an extension of tenure.

The commission of retired High Court Justice K.N. Patil has told the government it cannot continue with the probe. It was appointed to inquire into communal riots of October 16, 2001, in which 13 people were killed.

The commission, whose six-month tenure ended on May 29, has now asked for a six-month extension. Over the past six months, the commission said it was not provided the required staff of 12 people and fund of Rs 7 lakh.

Only two staffers helped the commission. After receiving 467 public affidavits and 70 police affidavits, the commission was about to start investigations when its tenure ended. In the past six months, Justice Patil visited Malegaon twice and Nashik once for inquiries. Though the state had declared the commission appointed in November, work started four months later due to delay in getting office space in Malegaon.