Ahmedabad: Senior IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of complicity in the 2002 post-Godhra riots, was on Saturday sent to judicial custody after a court rejected the plea for police remand. Police had asked for seven days’ custody of Bhatt, who was arrested yesterday, in connection with the complaint filed by constable K D Pant.
However, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate B G Doshi rejected the plea, and sent Bhatt to judicial custody for 15 days. Earlier in the day, Bhatt’s wife Shweta said that she feared for her husband’s life, as he had been handed over to the city crime branch. However, City Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha said that the apprehension was “unfounded”.
The police also went to search Bhatt’s house today, for the second time, but had to return when Shweta demanded to see a fresh search warrant. She also alleged that police were harassing them, for speaking the truth.
Bhatt was arrested in connection with the FIR filed by Pant for allegedly threatening him and making him sign a false affidavit with regard to a meeting called by Modi on February 27, 2002, hours after the Godhra train carnage.
Congress, BJP wrangle over Bhatt’s arrest
The Congress Saturday defended the arrested Indian Police Service Gujarat officer Sanjiv Bhatt saying he is being “victimized” while the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) justified his arrest for allegedly threatening a policeman.
“Bhatt is being victimised. His premises are being raided again and again. There is no law and order in Gujarat,” said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Bhatt’s arrest Friday for allegedly making the policeman sign a false affidavit.
Bhatt was arrested “only on the complaint of a fellow officer and (it) has nothing to do with charges made by him (on Modi),” BJP leader Arun Jaitley said. (Agencies)