Sanjiv Bhatt is the witness of the ‘gory’ tale of Gujarat, not an accused!

Bhatt seeks beefed-up security cover as he feels heightened threats to his life

By Sayema Sahar,

Baney hain ahel-e-hawas muddai bhi, munsif bhi/ Kise wakil karen, kis-se munsifi chahen...

The above verse aptly describes the state of one of the key witnesses, IPS officer Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt, of the “gory” tale of Gujarat 2002.

As many as 25 letters from this witness so far to various forums -- Director General of Police, SC-appointed Special Investigating Team, and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) -- to beef up the security cover of self and his family members, but they all have fallen on deaf ears.

It is rather unfortunate that Sanjiv Bhatt has to put forth his petition before the state machinery which is all set to eliminate him.

In his 25th letter dated 14th Feb. 2012 to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Bhatt writes: “It may kindly be appreciated that, as communicated to you earlier, it is my misfortune that I am constrained by procedural propriety to repeatedly petition the very same administrative setup of the State of Gujarat, which has evidently been more than keen not only to jeopardize my security and the safety and security of my family; but has also repeatedly resorted to such coercive tactics and measures for very obvious reasons which need no elaboration.”

Amicus Curiae Raju Ramachandran in his report to the Supreme Court states: “Evidence is weighed and not counted. Bhatt is a crucial witness and his statement is a direct piece of evidence and carries a lot of weight in the eye of law.”

And to such a crucial witness, all that the state government has provided is: One armed sentry at his residence and one PSO (police security officer).

Mr. Bhatt expressing concern on the "manifold" rise in security threats to him and family members, has sought foolproof security from Gujarat government in his latest letter on Tuesday.

"Despite the assurance given by the State of Gujarat to the Supreme Court of India, on May 5, 2011, during the hearing of SLP (Criminal) 1088 of 2008; I and my family members are yet to be provided adequate and fool-proof security cover," says Mr. Bhatt in his letter.

Further in his letter he writes: “The existing arrangements for my security as well as the safety of my family, are neither adequate nor fool-proof. The threat to me and my family has increased manifold after I filed Writ Petition (Criminal) 135 of 2011 and Writ Petition (Criminal) 204 of 2011 before the Supreme Court."

"The evidence brought out in the said petitions has evoked very strong feelings of antipathy and hatred towards me in the minds of the Right-Wing Fundamentalists and the supporters/idolaters of Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat," Sanjiv Bhatt writes.

Contrary to the assurance given to the apex court of providing foolproof security to Mr. Bhatt and his family, the departments under the state government have left no stone unturned to risk his security.

The conduct of Modi and his Government is violative of both the principle and form of representative democracy that the Indian Constitution is based on.

Sanjiv Bhatt is an officer of Indian Police Service and he is entitled to service weapons and ammunition by that virtue. However, the In-charge DGP Chitranjan Singh, and IG (Intelligence) A K Sharma have issued orders to take away the weapons issued to Mr. Bhatt.

Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt, with regard to the service weapon, writes to the Adl. Chief Secretary (Home): "In repeated blatant acts which amount to attempts at jeopardising my security, the agencies under your control have time and again sought to deprive me even of the weapons and ammunition duly issued to me as an officer of the Indian Police Service".

"You are requested to restrain in-charge DGP Chitranjan Singh, and IG (Intelligence) A K Sharma, from initiating or continuing with any irregular and unlawful coercive measures aimed at irreparably jeopardising my security by dispossessing me of service weapons."

The threat to the life of Mr. Bhatt is bound to increase with every passing day, as he is one of the key witnesses in the Zakia Jafri case where the key accused is the demagogic power-hungry CM, and Sanjiv Bhatt has challenged his dictatorial power.

Ironically the main accused of the bloodbath of 2002 continue to enjoy his dictatorial power and manage all the investigating agencies probing the “well-disciplined riot” while the few good men in Khaki who have chosen to stand against the carnage of 2002 are facing the brunt of the vindictive Government of the state, which needs to be reminded that Mr. Bhatt is a witness of the 2002 carnage not an accused!

(The writer is a Delhi-based journalist, can be contacted on sayemasahar@rediffmail.com)

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