IPS officer's SC affidavit blames Modi for riots

Sanjiv Bhatt, an Indian Police Service officer of the 1988 batch, has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court alleging that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi encouraged the 2002 Gujarat riots, television channels have reported.

In his affidavit, the senior Gujarat police officer has stated that Modi sent out instructions that Hindus should be allowed to express their anger and Muslims should be taught a befitting lesson so that incidents like the burning of Sabarmati Express never happen again in Gujarat. Bhatt has stated that Modi said this at a meeting on February 27, 2002, which he was asked to attend as his senior GC Raigar was not in town.

Bhatt's statement was recorded by the Supreme Court's Special Investigating Team probing the riots, on March 23, 2011, but in his affidavit the IPS officer has said he had no faith in the SIT and that it was hiding the truth behind the riots.

Bhatt has also stated in his affidavit that a senior Gujarat government officer had met him to brief him about his deposition to the SIT.

Further details are awaited.