A senior SIT official said: 'The probe (against Modi and others) is already under way as per the Supreme Court orders. This is part of the entire investigation exercise taken up as per the apex court orders.'

The communal violence started after a coach of the Sabarmati Express was set on fire in Godhra, about 140 km from here, on Feb 27, 2002, killing 59 Hindus. The subsequent sectarian strife across the state killed 1,169 people, most of them Muslims.

Rights organisations have accused the Modi government of bias in handling the situation. The SIT has been formed to investigate select cases of large-scale violence and massacres, including the one at Gulbarg Society in east Ahmedabad on Feb 28, 2002.

At least 39 people including Jafri were killed when a large mob attacked the colony and set houses on fire.