BackGodhra riots cases: SC reserves verdict on Sanjiv Bhatt plea
The cases concerns disputed claims about then chief minister Narendra Modi's alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on sacked Indian Police Services (IPS) officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who is seeking a “fair, credible and independent" probe into two first information reports (FIRs) lodged against him.
A bench comprising chief justice H.L. Dattu and Arun Mishra reserved its judgement after hearing the case for over two days. The cases concerns disputed claims about then chief minister Narendra Modi’s alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Bhatt, who was removed from his position as an IPS officer by the Gujarat government on 13 August, alleges that the FIRs were registered to intimidate him. The FIRs were filed by Bhatt’s junior K.D. Panth in June 2011 and additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta in August 2011.
Bhatt, represented by top human rights lawyers Indira Jaising and Prashant Bhushan, told the apex court that he was present at a meeting on 27 February 2002 at Modi’s home.
He alleged that the proceedings against him were “intended to prevent him from disclosing the sensitive information revealing the criminal nexus between the state ministers, politicians, bureaucrats, senior police officers, government law officers, and non-state actors, who grossly interfered with the administration of justice…"
He cited a series of emails between the then additional advocate general Tushar Mehta and some of the accused in the riots alleging that Mehta shared confidential information and legal documents with the accused against whom the state was conducting cases.
The Gujarat government, however, rejected the claims.
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