Raghavan arrives at SIT office ahead of SC hearing

Zakia,in her complaint,has alleged that Modi and 62 others,including his cabinet colleagues,police officials and senior bureaucrats aided and abetted the riots which left over 1,000 people dead across the state.

She had further alleged that between February and May 2002 there was a “deliberate and intentional failure” of the state government to protect the life and property of innocents.

While Bhatt in his affidavit has accused the SC-appointed SIT of ‘coercing witnesses’,’hostility’,’cover-up of probe’ and ‘displaying reluctant attitude’ in recording of vital information related to the 2002 communal clashes that reportedly claimed 2000 lives.

The 1988-batch IPS officer,who was posted as DCP at the State Intelligence Bureau during the 2002 riots,had also said in the affidavit that he had attended the February 27 meeting called by Chief Minister Narendra Modi where the latter asked officers to be “indifferent” to the rioters.

Bhatt said after facing ‘unconcealed hostility’ by the SIT members he was under apprehension that the agency was part of the cover-up operations with regard to the probe in the riots cases.

Bhatt has further accused the SIT of hostility and coercing of witnesses while probing the 2002 Gulburg Society case where over 60 people,including Congress MP Ehsan Jaffery were killed by rioters.

He said that despite providing details of cover-up operations and efforts of undermining proceedings,the SIT “seemed to be disinclined to follow-up these important leads”.

Bhatt created a flutter in his affidavit alleging that at the meeting (held on night of February 27,2002) Modi had instructed officers to allow Hindus to “vent out their anger” during the clashes and wanted Muslims to be “taught a lesson”.

However,in his testimony before the SIT,Modi had said that Bhatt being a junior officer at that time was not present in the meeting.

Former DGP (during the 2002 riots) K Chakrabarthi also said that Bhatt was not present in the meeting. Other members who were present in the meeting had also denied Bhatt’s presence.

However,Tara Chand Yadav,the then driver of Bhatt,said that Bhatt indeed accompanied the state’s DGP to the Chief Minister’s bungalow on the day of the meeting.

Bhatt is presently posted as principal of the State Reserve Police (SRP) training centre in Junagadh district.

Bhatt also urged the apex court to direct the concerned authorities to provide adequate and fool-proof security cover to him and family members.