Gujarat govt issues chargesheet to Sanjiv Bhatt

Ahmedabad, Sep 18 (PTI) Suspended Indian Police Service
(IPS) officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who had implicated Narendra Modi
in the 2002 riots, was Sunday served a chargesheet by the
western Indian state Gujarat Home Department in connection
with his alleged unauthorised absence from duty for the last
ten months.
"This is how Modi government shows its sadbhavana," Bhatt
said reacting to the development and referring to Chief
Minister Modi's ongoing fast.
Bhatt also endorsed allegations made by danseuse/activist
Mallika Sarabhai regarding her PIL on the post-Godhra riots
cases.
"Today I was served a chargesheet, on the charges that
were stated in my suspension letter," Bhatt told PTI.
Bhatt, a 1988 IPS batch officer, was suspended under the
provisions of All India Services (Discipline and Appeals)
Rules, 1969 after he submitted an affidavit to the Supreme
Court, accusing Modi of using the state machinery in the
post-Godhra riots and asking police officers to look the other
way to enable the majority community vent their anger against
the minorities.
Reasons given for suspension were Bhatt's unauthorised
absence from duty for ten months, non-appearance before a
departmental panel, and misuse of official vehicle.
Bhatt said, "On Friday last, I had got a communication
from state Home Department that I have to remain present
before the inquiry officer on September 19 (tomorrow) with
regard to inquiry against me.
"The chargesheet has been given to me without I remaining
present before the officer conducting the preliminary inquiry.
"The government has completely bypassed the procedure
and issued chargesheet without hearing me. This is how Modi
government shows its sadbhavna. The chargesheet has been
served in haste."
Bhatt further said that this was done as details related
to the PIL filed by social activist Mallika Sarabhai on the
communal riots in 2002 had been made public.
Earlier in the day, Sarabhai accused Narendra Modi of
using public funds to "bribe her lawyers" in an attempt to
sabotage her PIL before the Supreme Court on the post-Godhra
riots cases.
She alleged Modi had called the then state Intelligence
Bureau chief Sri Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt, his deputy at
SIB, and asked them to pay her lawyers Rs 10 lakh.
"I totally agree with what Mallika Sarabhai has
said....Modi had masterminded the operation (to bribe lawyers)
along with another BJP leader Amit Shah who was an MLA at that
time," Bhatt told PTI.
"The money was given to Shah for onward transmission,"
Bhatt further said.