The telephone call records, registers of officers’ movement and vehicle log books of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) pertaining to the period of 2002 communal riots were destroyed in 2007, the Gujarat government said on Wednesday.
S.B. Vakil, government counsel in the Nanavati Commission, probing the post-Godhra riots, told media persons after the questioning of IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt that as per government rules the records are destroyed after five years.
“As per general government rules the telephone call records, vehicle log book and the officer’s movement diary are destroyed after a certain period,” Mr Vakil said.
He said as far as the SIB records for 2002 (when Sabarmati Express train fire at Godhra and subsequent riots took place) were concerned, they were destroyed in 2007.
“Bhatt knows that the records are not available and despite that he is asking for them,” Mr Vakil noted.
Mr Bhatt had given an application to the Commission in May, seeking direction to the government and SIB to provide him records and documents pertaining to 2002 riots period.
The government counsel said Mr Bhatt, who was DCP (SIB) in 2002, knows the rule that such records are destroyed after a certain period.
In spite of that he is asking for such records through various direct and indirect representations.
Earlier, there were heated arguments between Mr Bhatt, who has made serious allegations against chief minister Narendra Modi in connection with the riots, and Mr Vakil during the senior IPS officer’s questioning before the two-member probe panel. During the proceedings at the Commission, Mr Vakil claimed that Mr Bhatt had “crossed his limits” when he filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court.
Mr Bhatt was summoned for questioning by the Commission. —PTI