Gujarat IPS officers' association backs Sanjiv Bhatt

Gujarat Indian Police Services officers have extended their  support to arrested colleague Sanjiv Bhatt and voiced their anguish at the "shabby" treatment meted out to him in jail and during search operations at his home.

Breaking its silence on the developments concerning Bhatt, the Gujarat IPS Officers Association passed a resolution backing him in his "fight for truth" and supporting his family at an impromptu meeting held on Saturday.

This is for the first time that the association has gone vocal in support of the suspended IPS officer even though some officials like Rahul Sharma, R B Srikumar and Kuldeep Sharma had expressed their anguish against Modi government over a period of time.

Bhatt, who has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court accusing Chief Minister Narendra Modi of complicity in the 2002 post-Godhra riots, was arrested on September 30 following a complaint by a police constable.

He is currently in judicial custody. According to sources, three IPS officers, including Atul Karwal, V M Parghi and Praveen Kumar Singh on Saturday went to Bhatt's residence to convey the resolution passed by the association to his wife Shewta and family members.

"Three IPS officers had come to our house and have told that the association will totally back Bhatt in his fight for truth," Shweta, wife of Bhatt, told PTI.

Shweta thanked the association for its support. Sources said some officers spoke about the "shabby treatment" meted out to Bhatt and how he was denied home cooked food in jail.

The officers also expressed concern at the manner in which raids were conducted at Bhatt's home after his arrest. When asked whether all IPS officers supported Bhatt, DGP Chittaranjan Singh told reporters in Gandhinagar that "the IPS officers' association has passed a resolution in this regard."

Elaborating, Singh said "we would support the family members of Bhatt if they want or need anything".

"...whatever action police has taken it is in the courts. If the police has done any wrong courts will obviously punish us," he said

Bhatt was arrested on the basis of an FIR filed by police
constable K D Pant, who accused the IPS officer of allegedly threatening him and making him sign false affidavits regarding a meeting called by Modi on February 27, 2002, hours after the Godhra train attack.

The FIR was filed in June this year. Meanwhile, Bhatt's bail plea is pending in the sessions court here and is likely to come up for hearing on Monday.

The IPS officers association also passed another resolution saying that a permanent DGP needed to be appointed in place of in-charge DGP in the state. "The association has passed a resolution for filling up the post of DGP instead of in-charge DGP," sources said.

Chittaranjan Singh is the in-charge DGP of the state at present whereas the post of DGP is lying vacant. The association also appointed Deepak Swaroop as its new president.