Former Gujarat top cop and Modi critic arrested, police search his home

The Gujarat police on Saturday conducted a second search operation at the residence of Sanjay Bhatt, the suspended IPS officer, who had accused chief minister Narendra Modi of abetting the 2002 communal riots.

Bhatt was arrested on Friday and charged with forgery and conspiracy, after one of his juniors alleged that the officer with the rank of inspector-general had forced him to file a false affidavit against Modi. K D Pant, Bhatt's junior, claimed that Bhatt was present at the 27 February 2002 meeting at which Modi had allegedly told the police to go slow on rioters.

Shweta, the suspended cop's wife, dashed off a letter to Chitranjan Singh, director-general of police, Gujarat, and Sudhir Sinha, police commissioner, Ahmedabad, alleging that there was a threat to the life of her husband.

Pointing out that Bhatt has 'surprisingly been shifted from Ghatlodaia police station and now detained in the lock-up of the city crime branch, Shweta said the crime branch - directly under the control of the chief minister - had a reputation for staging fake encounters.

"Since my husband has been courageously and honestly fighting for justice, he has been arrested and I have very strong apprehension that he would be manhandled badly and his life is under threat," wrote Shweta. "I state that my husband Mr Sanjeev Bhatt has strong apprehension of being physically ill-treated or even put to his life in danger. I, therefore, request you to kindly initiate appropriate steps to safeguard life and liberty of my husband."

But Ahmedabad's police chief denied there was any threat to Bhatt's life. He said, in a majority of the cases, lawyers are not allowed to meet their clients within 24 hours of custody. "But, if there is a request, we do consider them," added Sinha.