Gujarat IPS officer Bhatt's security cover withdrawn

The withdrawal comes at a time when Bhatt had sought enhanced security fearing threat to himself and his family. Bhatt received a two-page notice from state’s Director-General of Police Chitranjan Singh seeking an explanation on why he had deployed five armed security personnel from the State Reserve Police (SRP) training centre where he is posted as principal.

The DGP alleged that the officer had been unauthorisedly absent from his place of posting at the centre which is based in Junagadh. “As per the government rules since you are unauthorisedly absent, deploying manpower from the centre is a gross violation,” said Singh in his letter, a copy of which is with Deccan Herald.

Later, a team from the training centre at the orders of the DGP arrived at Bhatt’s residence to instruct the SRP men deployed there to report back to the centre headquarters at Junagadh. Worse, the team also took away the official car allotted to Bhatt. “We have been instructed by the DGP to get the men back to the Junagadh centre,” said inspector D B Bhambhani, who led the team. A defiant Bhatt has challenged the DGP’s claim that he was unauthorisedly absent.

He has even shot off a letter to him accusing him of “continuing to take proactive steps to jeopardise my security and safety and security of my family by repeatedly ordering withdrawal of my official vehicle and the five armed constables.”