Bhat made this deposition before the Nanavati Commission during his ongoing cross-examination. He said “When I was summoned by the SC-appointed SIT and the state government was able to guage what I was going to depose, Shah had pressurised me not to reveal the truth before the committee.’’
He said he had attended at least 10 meetings between February 27 and 3 March 3, 2002, where police inaction despite intelligence inputs had been brought to Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s notice.
Bhatt said since he was in charge of Modi’s security, he was privy to conversations between him and former chief ministers like Amarsinh Chaudhury and Shankersinh Vaghela.
“When Chaudhury and Vaghela said they would go on a dharna for the failure of the law and order situation in the state, the chief minister told them to stay away as they too could face the same fate as the Muslims across the state,’’ Bhatt said. Inaction was from both government officials and from elected representatives, he said.
Published 23 May 2011, 12:55 IST