36 ... ... ... ... .. S I T UAT I O N I N G U JA R AT the trial courts or the Commission of Inquiry, as the case may be, and make true and faithful statements in respect of matters within their knowledge without any fear or favour. The Commission added that should any effort be made to intimidate them or tamper with their evidence by any agency, the witnesses/victims should approach the Superintendent of Police of the concerned area with a complaint and seek protection. "In case of police inaction on their report," the Commission stated, "the witnesses/victims may bring the matter to the notice of the Special Rapporteur of NHRC, Shri Nampoothiri, who will take up the matter with DGP(Gujarat) and send intimation to the Commission." The Special Rapporteur was asked to apprise the witnesses/victims about the assurance of DGP(Gujarat) personally or through the concerned NGOs, the Commission also expressing the hope that the assurance would help in having fair trials conducted. 3.20 On 30 June 2003, however, the Commission noted in its Proceedings that all of the accused in the Best Bakery Case had been acquitted. It will be recalled that this was one of the five cases in respect of which the Commission had recommended investigation by the CBI, fourteen persons having been killed in the premises of the Best Bakery after it was set on fire during the communal violence that engulfed the State. Upon learning of the acquittals, the Commission immediately requested the Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat, to forward to the Commission, within one week, a copy of the judgement of the Trial Court. The Commission additionally asked the Chief Secretary to inform it of what steps, if any, the Government of Gujarat was proposing to take against the order of acquittal. 3.21 Subsequently, "keeping in view the seriousness of the issues involved in the order of acquittal in the Best Bakery Case," the Commission considered it appropriate, "to immediately depute a team of the Commission to proceed to Vadodara to inspect the records of the case, examine the judgement and all other relevant materials and submit a report to the Commission." The team consisted of Shri Ajit Bharihoke, Registrar, NHRC, Shri Sudhir Chowdhary, DIG (Investigation), NHRC, and Shri P.G.J. Nampoothiri, Special Rapporteur, NHRC. The team was authorized to associate any local lawyer for assistance in consultation with the Special Rapporteur. The Hon'ble Acting Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court, the Trial Court and the State Government were requested to extend all possible assistance and facilities to the team to carry out the mandate of the Commission, the team being asked to submit its report within one week. N AT I O N A L H U M A N R I G H T S C O M M I S S I O N