Shrenik Shah, a 46-year-old land dealer, had mentioned in his statement to the police that he was present when Bhatt coaxed his friend and police head constable K D Panth to sign the affidavit which claimed that he had accompanied the IPS officer to the chief minister’s residence on February 27, 2001 for a meeting.
Shah is a crucial witness in the case that resulted in Bhatt’s arrest. Family members had said that Shah had left his home on October 24 with his friends but has not returned since then.
According to sources, Shah told the police he was abducted by some rival land dealers and was set free only on Friday afternoon.
With the police on a major hunt to find him, Shah surfaced near Balsinore town in North Gujarat.
Published 28 October 2011, 19:55 IST