Gujarat cop Sanjiv Bhatt out on bail
October 17th, 2011 - 7:22 pm ICT by IANS
Ahmedabad/New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) In a setback for the Gujarat government, a special court granted bail to suspended police officer Sanjiv Bhatt who has accused Chief Minister Narendra Modi of complicity in the 2002 communal riots. Coming out of jail, the officer said rule of law has prevailed.
Bhatt termed Modi a “criminal” and who can get him killed.
“For me, Modi is a common criminal and who happens to be the chief minister and that doesn’t make any difference. As a police officer I see him as a criminal,” he told news channel Times Now.
“This government can try to eliminate me as they have done to (former minister) Haren Pandya. They can resort to anything and I am prepared for anything.
“I am a threat to Narendra Modi, his stooges and and his cohorts and they will try to neutralise the threat. If they have to eliminate me, they won’t mind doing that,” he said.
Earlier, Bhatt walked out of the Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad amid showering of rose petals and cheering of supporters. He hugged his wife Shweta Bhatt, who was waiting for him outside.
“I am happy that the rule of law has prevailed and this would be a victory for hope,” a composed Bhatt told reporters outside the jail.
Sessions Judge V.K. Vyas granted him bail on the condition that Bhatt would cooperate with the investigation and would be present whenever called.
The Indian Police Service (IPS) officer was arrested Sep 30 for allegedly forcing a police constable, K.D. Panth, to sign a false affidavit about his attending a meeting called by Modi soon after the Godhra train burning that sparked the riots.
In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in April, Bhatt alleged that after the Godhra train carnage, Modi had asked the police at a meeting to allow the majority community to vent their anger against Muslims.
Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid said the court order showed the independence of the legal system.
“No matter how much people speculate and put question marks, ultimately… we have shown our system is independent and it does not get swayed either by public opinion or by any kind of pressure,” Khurshid told reporters in New Delhi.
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- Gujarat beefs up Sanjiv Bhatt's security - May 03, 2011
- Top cop says Gujarat CM Modi involved in Godhra case - Apr 22, 2011
- Supreme Court notice to Gujarat on Bhatt's plea - Nov 11, 2011
- Top cop implicates Modi in Gujarat riots (Roundup) - Apr 22, 2011
- Bhatt went to Modi's house, says driver - Apr 23, 2011
- Gujarat riot victims may file plea to make cop a witness - Jun 21, 2011
- Bhatt's bail plea hearing Friday, court rejects government plea - Oct 05, 2011
- Former Gujarat top cop Sreekumar seeks security for Sanjiv Bhatt - Apr 26, 2011
- Godhra case: Ex-Gujarat police chief Sreekumar commends Bhatt's affidavit against Modi - Apr 22, 2011
- I stand by my statement: Sanjiv Bhatt - Apr 22, 2011
Tags: carnage, chief minister, cohorts, communal riots, complicity, false affidavit, gujarat government, indian police service, ips officer, khurshid, majority community, modi, pandya, petals, police constable, salman, sanjiv, stooges, union law minister, vyas