JOIN USEx-top cop puts Modi in dock
Sreekumar filed an affidavit in this regard before the Nanavati Commission probing the Gujarat riots after he was asked to do so in view of a petition filed by suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt in the apex court. Apart from several serious allegations against Modi, Bhatt had claimed that Modi had tried to influence Sarabhai’s petition which she had filed in April 2002 accusing Modi and his ministers of complicity in the riots.
The Nanavati Commission had taken cognisnace of the affidavit and asked Bhatt to depose and explain. However, Bhatt said since the documents were classified ones, only his immediate boss at that time – ADG Intelligence Sreekumar – could reveal the details. Subsequently, Sreekumar filed the affidavit before the commission.
The affidavit, a copy of which is available with Deccan Herald, alleges that Modi had convened a meeting with Sreekumar and Bhatt on April 10, 2002.
According to the affidavit, “Modi told Sreekumar that since Mallika’s petition filed in the SC could damage the government they have to do something”. The chief minister, according to the affidavit, informed Sreekumar that Sanjiv Bhatt had been briefed on how to manage it.
Sreekumar’s affidavit then added that Bhatt, while on their way back had told him that the chief minister had instructed release of Rs 10 lakh for bribing Mallika’s lawyer.
The amount was later arranged by the accounts section of the DGP’s office and handed over to the advocates office by Bhatt, the affidavit claimed.
“Chief Minister Narendra Modi had called the then State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief R B Sreekumar and another IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who was his deputy in SIB at that time, and asked them to pay my lawyers Rs 10 lakh to derail the proceedings of PIL filed in the Supreme Court by me,” Sarabhai alleged.
“Police officer Sanjiv Bhatt had also in his deposition in May to the Nanavati Commission said that he was given instructions by Shri Narendra Modi to use secret services’ money to bribe the lawyers who were involved in my case to delay what the chief minister felt was a very dangerous PIL for the health of the government,” she claimed.
“I then went to the (Nanavati) commission and asked them if I could cross examine Sanjiv Bhatt and who was then Sanjiv Bhatt’s boss and whether Sreekumar was also involved,” Sarabhai said.