New Delhi, Feb. 18: The Centre has quoted the recently released Tehelka disclosures on Gujarat to inform the Supreme Court that it is not averse to the CBI probing all Gujarat riot cases, including Godhra, and their transfer outside the state.

“In light of all these circumstances, the central government submits it would have no objection to the investigation of the cases by the CBI and transfer (them) outside Gujarat… if so desired by this hon’ble court,” a home ministry affidavit said, referring to the Tehelka report released in October 2007.

The question of whether a state government can be bypassed in ordering such inquiries is pending in the apex court. The Bengal government had objected to Calcutta High Court ordering a CBI probe in the Nandigram case without its consent.

The home ministry’s affidavit noted that the communal riots of February 2002 in Gujarat had “resulted in huge losses of life and property”.

Many petitions have been filed seeking transfer of trial and/or handing over of the investigation/re-investigation of cases to the CBI.

Victims have complained of police complicity and inaction, saying policemen themselves were often perpetrators and the authorities in many cases either refused to register FIRs or registered faulty ones. The cases include the incidents at Godhra, Gulbarg Society, Naroda-Patia, Best Bakery, Baranpura, Machipith, Tarsali, Raghovpura and Pandarwada.

The National Human Rights Commission, the Centre said, had stated “there is no doubt… that there was a comprehensive failure on the part of the state government to control the persistent violation of the rights to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the people of the state”.