Gujarat: Anti-Modi officer Sanjeev Bhatt detained

Suspended Indian Police Service officer Sanjeev Bhatt was on Friday detained in connection with a first information report filed against him by a police constable for allegedly threatening and making him sign a "false" affidavit about a high-level meeting called by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on February 27, 2002.

"Bhatt has been brought in for questioning with regard to the FIR against him in the Ghatlodia police station," Gujarat Director General of Police Chitranjan Singh told PTI.

"His statement will be recorded. He has not been arrested," he said.

Bhatt has received a notice issued to the Gujarat police with regard to the case from the Supreme Court on his petition, Singh added.

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The suspended officer, who has alleged Modi's complicity in post-Godhra riots, was taken to the Ghatlodia police station by Assistant Commissioner of Police N C Patel, police said.

Constable K D Pant, who was working under Bhatt during 2002 riots, had registered the FIR accusing Bhatt of threatening a public servant (Pant), fabricating false evidence and wrongful confinement.

According to Pant's FIR, on June 16 he got a call from Bhatt asking him to come to his residence for some work.  

As per the FIR, when Pant reached Bhatt's residence, the IPS officer told him that the amicus curie from the Supreme Court was coming on June 18 and they had to meet him to record a statement.

Pant alleged Bhatt had asked him to tell the amicus curie that special investigation team had forcefully recorded his statement. When he resisted, Bhatt allegedly threatened him and said there was no need to worry if he did what he was told.

The police constable further claimed that Bhatt took him to meet state Congress president Arjun Modhwadia at his residence. Modhwadia too assured him that there was no need to worry and he should do what Bhatt was asking to do, he added.

After meeting Modhwadia, Bhatt took Pant to the office of an advocate and notary near the Gujarat high court and made him sign two sets of affidavits, the FIR states.

Bhatt in his affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, where he had alleged complicity of Modi in post-Godhra riots, had stated that Pant who knew about Modi's meeting was threatened with dire consequences and arrested by the SIT which is probing some of the 2002 riot cases on the direction of the apex court.

 He had also alleged Pant was virtually treated like an accused by the SIT during his questioning on April 5, 2011.