Suspended IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt, who had implicated Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 post-Godhra riots, was arrested on Friday after a police constable filed an FIR against him.
Following the arrest, thepolice also conducted a raid at Mr Bhatt’s residence in Memnagar area here to “check for evidence” related to the case.
Constable K.D. Pant, who had worked under Mr Bhatt during the 2002 riots, in the FIR accused the IPS officer of threatening a public servant, fabricating false evidence and wrongful confinement. Mr Bhatt’s questioning was underway.
“Bhatt has been arrested and is being questioned,” city police commissioner Sudhir Sinha said.
Mr Pant alleged that Mr Bhatt had threatened and forced him to sign a “false” affidavit that the IPS officer was present at a high-level meeting called by Mr Modi on the night of February 27, 2002 after the Godhra train attack. Some questions have been also raised whether Mr Bhatt was present.
According to Mr Bhatt, Mr Modi is alleged to have said at the meeting that the Hindus should be allowed to vent their anger and that Muslims should be taught a lesson.
Mr Bhatt has been locked in a public confrontation with Mr Modi after he filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court accusing the BJP leader of complicity in the 2002 riots. Mr Bhatt was also served a chargesheet by the Gujarat home department in connection with his alleged unauthorised absence from duty.
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Sc proceedings against ias officer stayed
New Delhi, Sept. 30: The Supreme Court on Friday virtually stayed the trial against senior Gujarat cadre IAS officer Pradeep Sharma who has sought a CBI probe into the fresh criminal cases registered against him by state police allegedly at the instance of chief minister Narendra Modi.
A bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai though did not pass any order to stay the trial recorded an undertaking from state counsel Hemantika Wahi that “there will be no further proceedings, until further orders.”
Mr Sharma had sought a stay of the trial against him in a Bhuj court on the ground that his petition challenging the same was pending in the apex court.
After the Gujarat high court turned down his plea, he approached the Supreme Court on Friday.
Ms Wahi urged the apex court not to stay the proceedings on the ground that the chargesheet had already been filed and the court was to commence with the framing of the charges.
However, the bench was not convinced with the argument and proceeded to pass an order, upon which the counsel gave an undertaking that there would be no proceedings in the trial court until October 17 when the apex court is expected to take up Mr Sharma’s petition seeking a CBI inquiry. — PTI