Ahmedabad:
Suspended Gujarat IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt is one step closer to getting back to work. He has become famous for alleging that Chief Minister Narendra Modi was complicit in the communal riots of 2002, in which more than 1000 people were killed. Mr Bhatt has claimed that he was being persecuted for this.
He was suspended in August last year by the state's Home Ministry for not showing up at work, for misusing his official car, threatening a constable and for involvement in an Arms Act case.
A central review committee, which reports to the Union Home Ministry, in August overruled his suspension for being absent from work and of misusing his official vehicle. The state government has accepted its order today and Mr Bhatt has been issued a letter informing him that his suspension in this case has been revoked.
However, the suspension orders in the other two cases are still valid. This is likely to create problems for him and could hold him back from re-joining office.
"As Bhatt has also been put under suspension in two other cases, he will remain under suspension till those cases are pending," said state's Principal Secretary (Home) SK Nanda.
Mr Bhatt has alleged that he was being persecuted for damaging testimony against the chief minister.
In March last year, he sent an affidavit to the Supreme Court alleging that at a meeting in February 2002, Mr Modi had told senior policemen not to interfere when rioting mobs were attacking largely-Muslim neighbourhoods. The chief minister and other police officers, who were part of the meeting, have said Mr Bhatt was not present at the session where Mr Modi, he alleges, made these comments.
(With PTI inputs)
He was suspended in August last year by the state's Home Ministry for not showing up at work, for misusing his official car, threatening a constable and for involvement in an Arms Act case.
A central review committee, which reports to the Union Home Ministry, in August overruled his suspension for being absent from work and of misusing his official vehicle. The state government has accepted its order today and Mr Bhatt has been issued a letter informing him that his suspension in this case has been revoked.
However, the suspension orders in the other two cases are still valid. This is likely to create problems for him and could hold him back from re-joining office.
"As Bhatt has also been put under suspension in two other cases, he will remain under suspension till those cases are pending," said state's Principal Secretary (Home) SK Nanda.
Mr Bhatt has alleged that he was being persecuted for damaging testimony against the chief minister.
In March last year, he sent an affidavit to the Supreme Court alleging that at a meeting in February 2002, Mr Modi had told senior policemen not to interfere when rioting mobs were attacking largely-Muslim neighbourhoods. The chief minister and other police officers, who were part of the meeting, have said Mr Bhatt was not present at the session where Mr Modi, he alleges, made these comments.
(With PTI inputs)
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