Gujarat riots: SIT arrests ex-IPS officer for embezzling funds, forging documents
13 Jul 2022 11:35:19
Ahmedabad, July 13: Gujarat Police Crime Branch arrested former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt who was lodged in Palanpur jail. The arrest came days after Police arrested former senior officer RB Sreekumar and activist Teesta Setalvad in the Gujarat riots case.
Notably, in a recent judgment in Zakia Jafri Case, SC lashed out at Teesta Setalvad, Sreekumar, and Bhatt for falsifying evidence. The court said that Setalvad tutored the witnesses during trials.
The apex court noted that the SIT investigation in the case showed that the statements given by Bhatt & Sreekumar alleging the role of then-CM Narendra Modi in letting the riots continue were false. The court also noted that the allegations made by the two against the senior officials over inaction were also fabricated.
On June 27, Gujarat Police had sought custody of Sanjeev Bhatt, two days after filing a case against him. Reports suggest that in its application, Police said they wanted to confront Sanjiv Bhatt, Ex-DGP RB Sreekumar & so-called activist Teesta Setalvad with each other and also question the trio about the documentary evidence from the 2002 SIT investigation.
On June 24, SC rejected claims of a larger conspiracy into the Gujarat riots by PM Modi and other top Gujarat officials.
Both of them were arrested for allegedly fabricating evidence and sent to 14-day judicial custody by the court. Bhatt was lodged in jail in connection with the custodial death in 1990. A Jamnagar Sessions Court sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The apex court noted that the SIT investigation in the case showed that the statements given by Bhatt & Sreekumar alleging the role of then-CM Narendra Modi in letting the riots continue were false. The court also noted that the allegations made by the two against the senior officials over inaction were also fabricated.
After the verdict by the apex court, the Gujarat Police Crime Branch registered a case against the three under Sections 468, 471, 194, 211, 218, and 120 (B) of IPC.
On June 24, SC rejected claims of a larger conspiracy into the Gujarat riots by PM Modi and other top Gujarat officials.