Bhatt worked with ‘top rival political party’ against Gujarat govt.: SC

Says he should have kept away from all politics and activism of creating pressure.

In a scathing judgment, the Supreme Court ripped apart the sacked IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt’s claims about a “collusion” between high State functionaries in the then Narendra Modi government and the Gujarat prosecution to save the 2002 Godhra riots accused, including present BJP president Amit Shah.

Instead, the 76-page judgment delivered on Monday focused its attack on Mr. Bhatt himself. It accused him of coming to the apex court with unclean hands.

It condemned his conduct, saying it did not befit a senior police officer. The apex court said Mr. Bhatt was in active touch with “top rival political leaders of Gujarat” in the background of the 2002 riots, and his actions were orchestrated by them to ambush the then Gujarat government.

“Petitioner [Mr. Bhatt] probably forgot he was senior IPS Officer,” a Bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra said.

It said he should have “kept away from all politics and activism of creating pressure.”