Gujarat riots: SC stays proceedings against senior cop Sanjiv Bhat
20 Apr 2012
The Supreme Court today stayed proceedings against IPS officer Sanjiv Bhat in a chargesheet filed against him by the Gujarat government for allegedly forcing a constable to depose falsely against state chief minister Narendra Modi.
The Gujarat government in its chargesheet alleged that Bhat forced the constable to say that Bhat was present at the CM's residence on 27 February, 2002 where the CM had allegedly asked the police to slow against communal mobs during the 2002 post-Godhra riots in the state.
During the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the 2002 Gujarat riots, Bhatt had made sensational of revelations accusing Modi of issuing illegal instructions to allow Hindus to vent their anger against Muslims following the train massacre in Godhra.
The apex court bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Desai stayed the proceedings against Bhatt on his plea that the entire case against him was fabricated and it was a consequence of political vendetta.
The police officer had sought investigation by an independent agency into the allegations.
Rejecting the statement at a later Pant said he had been forced to make the earlier statement under pressure from the police officer.
Bhatt is presently under suspension and lives in Gandhinagar.
(Also see: SIT gives clean chit to Modi, others in Gujarat riots)
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