FIR filed against Gujarath IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt
June 26,2011Karan Singh Pant, 46, said that he was on traffic duty when there was a missed call on his cellphone. When he called back, he found that it was Bhatt who had called him.
According to Pant's FIR, Bhatt called him to his residence. Pant had worked with Bhatt when Bhatt was deputy commissioner of police (state intelligence).
Bhatt reportedly asked Pant to file an affidavit before the amicus curiae. When Pant protested saying that he had already appeared before the SIT investigating the cases on April 5 this year in which he had stated that he was on leave in February 2002 when the communal riots broke out in the state.
Pant alleged that Bhatt threatened him and coerced him to sign an affidavit saying that he had accompanied Bhatt to the meeting at the residence of Chief Minister Narendra Modi on February 27, 2002. According to the FIR, Bhatt also asked Pant to tell amicus curiae that he had recorded his statements before the SIT under pressure.
Pant alleged in the FIR that Bhatt first took him to state Congress president Arjun Modhwadia's residence. On the way Bhatt allegedly told Pant that Modi's government would not survive for long and it would be toppled soon by the UPA government at the centre.
Pant alleged that Modhwadia reportedly told him to say before amicus curiae what Bhatt had directed him to do so. The constable also told Modhwadia that Pant was present with him in Modi's meeting.
Pant, according to FIR, was then taken to a notary's house near the Gujarat High Court. There Pant was allegedly forced by Bhatt to sign an affidavit which was already prepared. Bhatt allegedly did not allow Pant to read the affidavit.
The affidavit was then submitted to amicus curiae.
Modhwadia, when contacted by media persons, denied having met either Bhatt or the constable. He said that he had been dragged into the issue due to political reasons.
However, he challenged Modi to order a CBI inquiry into the constable's allegations against him. "But I am sure Modi is afraid of CBI probe and will not agree to it because the truth will then come out and he will be exposed'', said Modhwadia.
Bhatt in April this year had filed an affidavit before Supreme Court stating that he was present in Modi's meeting on February 27, 2002 in which he had directed police officials to ignore the Hindu mobs attacking Muslims as he wanted to teach Muslims a lesson. Bhatt's allegations are the first direct accusation from government official against Modi for his conduct and role in 2002 riots.
