Bhatt wants to record statement with SIT

Suspended Gujarat IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt has written to the Supreme Court-monitored SIT, asking it to record his statement before the Magistrate under section 164(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973.

Bhatt had earlier sent copies of the documents which he claimed was evidence enough to justify his earlier statements of police inaction on February 27, 2002. He added that the document should convince the Team of the exceptional laxity of Ahmedabad police in making preventive arrests on February 27 on the eve of the VHP sponsored bundh that was expected to trigger violence in response to Godhra incident.

Bhatt said most police administrative units in the state, including Ahmedabad City, delayed the imposition of curfew despite the widespread outbreak of communal violence.  He alleged that the requisition and effective deployment of Army was irreparably delayed.