Author:
Publication: Deshgujarat.com
Date: May 1, 2011
URL: http://deshgujarat.com/2011/05/01/sanjiv-bhatt-episode-on-the-trail-of-truth-behind-the-hype/
Its quite amazing and disturbing that till
now there were allegations of all sorts on Modi but now even the SIT is under
the scanner(Link- Narendra Modi, Godhra & Gujarat riots: IBN-Live 'Disregards'
Truth! ). Its difficult to understand, how we can allege someone like Modi,
we can mistrust an independent agency of the stature of SIT and give so much
weightage to people like Sanjiv Bhatt and Teesta Setalvad. This is despite
the fact that their own credentials are questionable. We have witnessed how
teesta and her likes have changed colours over a period of time, sanjiv bhatt's
character too is unfolding gradually. There are reports that his career and
conduct have been questionable since years. There have been many departmental
inquiries against him and even a criminal case for beating someone to death
!!! And for the so called intelligentsia, many inquiries are before 2002.
We question the credentials of a Chief Minister who has presented himself
before the SIT for hours together and patiently replied to all their questions,
we question the credentials of SIT itself and we trust Sanjiv Bhatt? Why?
Who are those elements who are interested in creating such hype?
Too much is being read in to the affidavit
and media hype of Shri Sanjiv Bhatt, who has been sleeping all through the
last nine years of the incidents of riots. Neither he opted to file any affidavit
before the Justice Nanvati Inquiry Commission, nor he provided any such information
as being allegedly disclosed now to his superior Officer namely Shri RB Shreekumar
Adl. DGP in charge of Intelligence, when he filed affidavit before the Nanvati
Inquiry Commission. The recent Star TV interview of Shri Shreekumar telecast
in the third week of April 2011 may be seen in this regard.
Yet, the controversial officer has now come
out with a theory that he had attended the meeting on 27-02-2002 when alleged
illegal instructions were given by the Chief Minister. He has cited the support
of a driver, who allegedly took him to the CM's residence where the meeting
took place. In fact the driver had been dismissed from the service long back
for serious misconduct of forgery of certificates to obtain the driver's job.
It is strange that the statement of the disgruntled officer and the dismissed
driver are being given such hype while ignoring the statements of other most
senior Police and IAS officers who remained present during the meeting on
27th February 2002.
Besides, It is also quite unfortunate that
the so called intelligent people, who try to allege the Gujarat government
for not divulging records, in their blogs & panel discussion on TV channels,
have missed one thing that when a junior officer attends any such high level
meeting, as per procedure he is supposed to put up the proceedings/ notes
before the Superior officer about the deliberations. The Intelligence Manual
requires that such things are brought to the notice of senior officer in writing.
It is difficult to imagine why Sanjiv Bhatt did not do so at the relevant
time. In fact, he was posted as DCI (Security) who is supposed to look after
intelligence on VIP security and security to vital installations etc. only.
Another DCI was there to look after law& order and communal matters.
Shri Sanjiv Bhatt had never been provided
"y" category security by the government. There is a procedure to
asses threat perception of a person where a Committee consisting of the Home
Secretary, Additional DGP (Intelligence) and the Joint Director of the Central
IB consider the category of the security cover required for a person and on
this recommendation such security is provided by the government. No such recommendation
has ever been made for Shri Sanjiv Bhatt. Further, on the reference of the
SIT appointed by the Supreme Court, the Home Secretary wrote to the DGP to
look in to the security cover for Shri Sanjiv Bhatt. The DGP provided appropriate
security to him. The allegation that the government has withdrawn his security
is false and baseless. Shri Sanjiv Bhatt is trying to create false impression
deliberately to cover up his misconduct of keeping personnel from Juanagadh
at his residence at Ahmedabad.
It may be mentioned that Shri Sanjiv Bhatt
has been in the habit of keeping more personnel at his residence in excess
of the orderlies entitled. There had been such instances when he was posted
at Banaskantha and at Rajkot earlier. Show cause notices were also issued
at the relevant time.
At present he has been posted at Junagadh
SRP training School where he has joined and went on leave. Currently he is
on sick leave on account of his mother's alleged ill health. Yet he has been
keeping the personnel from Junagadh and the Vehicle allotted to him at Ahmedabad
on the pretext that the SIT would call him anytime for deposition. Though
the SIT has already recorded his statement yet he is claiming this privilege.
Besides, an officer can appear in any forum from his place of posting for
which one need not to remain present at the location where he chooses to place
himself.
It may be mentioned that Shri Sanjeev Bhatt
is an IPS officer of 1988 batch belonging to Gujarat cadre, whose career since
the beginning of his service has remained controversial. He is facing several
departmental proceedings and criminal cases of serious nature. Often he has
been taking undue advantage of the government citing different arguments of
his actions of omission and commission as part of his duty. However, many
departmental inquiries could not be settled and the criminal cases against
him are still pending for which he ahs been trying to get favour from the
government. Even he has not been promoted as IGP though his batch mates have
been promoted long back.
He was posted in as ASP Jamnagar district
when there was an agitation at Khamabliya. It was reported that he committed
excessive use of power and clamping of draconian provisions of TADA on some
of the protestors. Police (ASP) in Jamnagar district was marked with an incident
of misuse of power resulting to death of a person. There was a private criminal
complaint filed at Jamjodhpur Police station against him on 18-11-1990 by
one Shri Amrutlal Madhavji Vaishnani. This case is still pending at Sessions
Court at Kahambalia.
A criminal complaint was filed in 1996 by
one Shri Sumer Singh Rajpurohit, an Advocate practicing at Pali, Rajasthan
against Shri Sanjiv Bhatt, the then SP, Banaskantha District. A criminal case
was registered against Shri Sanjiv Bhatt & others vide FIR No. 403/96
dtd. 18-11-1996 u/s 120B, 195, 196, 342, 347, 357, 365, 388, 458, 482 IPC
and Sec. 58 (1) & 58 (2) of NDPS Act. After the investigation, a chargesheet
was filed against Shri Sanjiv Bhatt & others u/s 114, 120B, 323, 342,
348, 357, 365, 368, 388, 452, 201 & 482 IPC and Sec. 9, 17, 18, 29, 58
(1) & 58 (2) r/w Sec. 37 of NDPS Act in the Court of Special Judge, NDPS
Act, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It is mentioned that Shri Sumer Singh Rajput was
a tenant of sister of Shri R.R. Jain, a sitting Judge of Gujarat High Court.
To get the tenant evacuated for the rented premises, Shri Sanjiv Bhatt, the
then SP of Banaskanthe and his subordinate police officers planted more than
1kg of Narcotic drug in one room in a hotel at Palanpur, Gujarat, which was
shown that the complainant was occupying the same while the complainant was
at Pali, Rajasthan. The said complainant Advocate was abducted at midnight
from Pali on the instructions of Shri Sanjiv Bhatt by his subordinate police
staff and brought him to Palanpur, Banaskantha in Gujarat. The said Advocate
was pressurized by Shri Sanjiv Bhatt and his subordinate police officers to
vacate the said rented premises by threatening arrest under offence under
NDPSAct. The Advocate under pressure vacated the property. Physical possession
of the property was immediately handed over to sister of Shri R.R. Jain, Judge
of Gujarat High Court. Shri Sanjiv Bhatt asked released Shri Sumersingh Rajpurohit
on 08-05-1996, after filing a report u/s 169 Cr.P.C., in which it was stated
that Shri Sumer Singh could not be identified in the Test Identification Parade.
Applications were filed for quashing the criminal
complaint filed in Pali at Gujarat and Rajasthan High Court. But the petitions
have been dismissed and the criminal case is still pending. Also, the Gujarat
Vigilance Commission had recommended twice on 15-07-2002 and 19-10-2006for
suspension of Shri Sanjiv Bhatt for his professional misconducts.His stint
as Assistant Superintendent of The Secretary, Bar Association, Pali (Rajasthan)
made a complaint before the National Human Rights Commission. The Commission
considering the serious human right violation by its order dated 15-09-2010
directed the State Govt. of Gujarat to pay a sum of Rs. One lakh as monetary
relief to Shri Sumer Singh, advocate, Pali. The Gujarat government issued
order dated 23-12-2010 as per the direction of the NHRC to pay the amount.
A cheque was issued on 25-01-2011 in favour of Shri S.C. Rajpurohit.
Since the criminal proceeding is pending against
him and as one charge sheet has been issued to him, he has grievances against
the state government. He has been trying to get these issues settled and get
his overdue promotion as IGP.
It would be amply clear from the above details
that the entire service career of Shri Sanjeev Bhatt has remained controversial
and wherever he has been posted, controversies have followed him. He has many
issues which are to be settled with government like the pending departmental
inquiry, criminal cases and the current posting where he has joined and currently
on unsanctioned sick leave to settle. The ulterior motive behind his recent
demeanor becomes quite clear with these details. We all have witnessed the
sanctity of affidavits in the series of them filed by Teesta Setalvad. Let
us see how the character of Sanjiv Bhatt unfolds gradually.
