Ahmedabad: Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt on Wednesday appealed to the Nanavati Commission to either
formally summon him or direct him to file a detailed affidavit
regarding the alleged role of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in undermining a petition filed by the social activist
Mallika Sarabhai after 2002 riots.
Bhatt had last month made a similar request to the
panel, probing the communal riots, when he was called during a
hearing on an application moved by the danseuse.
Sarabhai had sought Bhatt`s cross examination with
regard to alleged role of Modi in sabotaging the court
proceedings in Sarabhai`s petition by allegedly bribing her
lawyer.
"It has been time and again reiterated before the
Honourable Commission that I am privy to these details as an
Intelligence Officer and would therefore be able to disclose
those details only when I am officially directed to appear and
depose before the Honourable Commission and not otherwise,"
Bhatt said in his written request underlining his willingness
to depose before the Nanavati Commission.
He requested the probe panel to summon and examine him
regarding his allegation of the gross misuse of Secret Service
Funds (SSF) of the state government by Modi for undermining
the proceedings of Sarabhai`s petition in 2002, or may direct
him to file a detailed affidavit bringing out the relevant and
germane facts within his knowledge.
Bhatt wrote to the Commission in reply to its letter
of December 1, informing him that he was free to file a
detailed affidavit with regard to Sarabahi`s application.
Bhatt has further stated in the letter that despite
him being posted as Deputy Commissioner (Intelligence)
in-charge of Internal Security with the State Intelligence
Bureau (SIB) during 2002 riots, the Gujarat government has,
till date, not instructed him to file any affidavit before the
Nanavati Commission.
He has further said in the letter that an amount of Rs
10 lakh from SSF was delivered to Modi as instructed in 2002,
and was handed over to former minister Amit Shah in his
presence, for further disbursal and execution of plans as per
Modi`s instructions.
During his questioning by the Central Relief Committee
advocate B M Mangukia on May 23 before the commission, Bhatt
had alleged that Modi had tried to undermine the proceedings
in the petition filed by Sarabhai in the Supreme Court with
regard to 2002 riots.
The Commission has reserved its order on Sarabhai`s
application seeking cross examination of Bhatt with regard to
this matter.
Sarabhai had contended in her plea that since Bhatt
was no longer constrained by the Zakia Jaffery`s petition in
the apex court, as it has been disposed of, the panel should
summon Bhatt for giving details of the role of Modi and others
with regard to her 2002 petition.
She had further said that what Bhatt had stated in May
has been supported by the affidavit filed by former DGP and
Bhatt`s superior during 2002 riots, R B Sreekumar, before the
commission.
PTI
