Ahmedabad: IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt on Monday
alleged that former Gujarat minister Amit Shah had tried to
influence his deposition before SIT about Chief Minister
Narendra Modi's meeting after the Godhra train attack where he
reportedly said that Hindus be allowed to 'vent their anger.'
Bhatt made the allegation when he appeared before the
Nanavati Commission probing the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
Bhatt, in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court last
month, had claimed that he was present in the meeting called
by Modi on the night of February 27, 2002. He had further
alleged that Modi in that meeting had instructed officers to
allow Hindus "to vent out their anger" during the clashes and
he wanted Muslims to be "taught a lesson".
He is being cross-examined by the two-member commission
comprising Justice (Retd) G T Nanavati and Akshay Mehta.
During his cross-examination by Central Relief
Committee advocate B M Mangukia, Bhatt was asked if somebody
from the Gujarat government tried to brief him before he was
to appear before Special Investigation Team (SIT), appointed
by Supreme Court in November 2009.
To which, Bhatt said he was approached by the then
Minister of State for Home Amit Shah after he was summoned by
the SIT.
Mangukia then asked "Did Shah ask you not to speak the
truth about the meeting of February 27, 2002,?" to which Bhatt
replied in the affirmative.
However, Bhatt replied in the negative when the lawyer
asked whether Shah threatened him.
PTI
First Published: Monday, May 23, 2011, 20:39