Modi-baiting Cop Sanjiv Bhatt Sacked; Congress ‘Condemns’ Move

IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt who took on Modi Govt. after 2002 Gujarat Riots has been sacked. Congress ‘condemns’ move.

File photo of IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. (Courtesy: Sanjiv Bhatt)

Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who had taken on the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the 2002 Gujarat riots, has been sacked on the grounds of “unauthorised absence” from service, an action which he said followed a “sham inquiry” on “completely fabricated charges”.

Yes, it is true that my services have been terminated. This was expected. They have been conducting a completely ex-parte inquiry. I got the letter (sack order) from them (the Home ministry).
— Sanjiv Bhatt, IPS

A 1988-batch IPS officer, Bhatt has been under suspension since 2011 after he took on the then Modi government over the 2002 Gujarat riots and filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court, claiming that he had attended a meeting at Modi’s residence in Gandhinagar on February 27, 2002, during which the Chief Minister had instructed the top police officers to allow the Hindus “to vent out their anger” after the train-burning incident at Godhra earlier that month.

File photo of IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt being escorted after his arrest in Ahmedabad. (Photo: AP)

Reacting to the government decision, the Gujarat-cadre officer said he had joined the IPS at the age of 24 with a passion and fire which still continues to rage in him.

Bhatt said the ground of his sacking - unauthorised absence from duty -pertains to the period when he was deposing before the SIT (investigating into the Zakia Jafri complaint) and the Nanavati Commission (inquiring into the Gujarat riots).

Here’s a Facebook post Bhatt put out after news of his sacking was made public.

Screengrab of Sanjiv Bhatt’s Facebook post. (Source: Facebook)

Reacting to the news, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh jumped to Bhatt’s support.

Here’s a copy of Sanjeev Bhatt’s termination order.