Thaindian News

Gandhinagar, Aug 9 (IANS) The Gujarat government Tuesday said police officer Sanjiv Bhatt was suspended after careful consideration in view of his consistent disobedience, which was “highly unbecoming of an officer”.

The office of the Director General of Police in a press release here Tuesday pointed out that “in a disciplined uniformed service and at his level of seniority, Bhatt’s behavior is highly unbecoming of an officer. Such defiant behavior and dereliction from duty cannot be tolerated in the larger interest of administration.”

“Despite repeated instructions to remain present before the preliminary inquiry officer, IPS officer V.K. Mall, he ignored the notices and the officer submitted his report to the DGP,” it stated.

Bhatt, whom the state government suspended from service Monday night, had shot into the limelight when he filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court claiming that he was present at a meeting summoned by Chief Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on the night after the Godhra train carnage of 2002, where allegedly signal for retributory action against Muslims was given.

The official note stated that the 1988 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer had remained controversial since the beginning of his service and because of it he has remained in sidelined posts.

“He is facing several department proceedings and criminal cases of serious nature. Even he has not been promoted as IGP though his batch mates have been promoted long back,” it said.

The statement said that DIG Bhatt, who was posted as Principal of SRP Training Centre, Junagadh, through an order dated Aug 1, 2010, joined his new posting but quickly went back to Ahmedabad and has not found it fit to do his duties despite the fact that 340 armed police recruits are under training and are in a crucial phase of their induction.

“He kept applying for leave though he had no compelling reason for it and has not resumed duties even ten months after his transfer.”

The statement said that Bhatt had not filed his e-statements for the months of September, October and November 2010 in violation of para-248 of the Gujarat Police Manual Part-III.