Narendra Modi used public funds to bribe lawyers: Mallika Sarabhai

AHMEDABAD: Social activist Mallika Sarabhai alleged on Sunday that chief minister Narendra Modi used public funds to “bribe her lawyers ” in an attempt to derail the proceedingsof her PILin the Supreme Court on the post-Godhra riots . Sarabhai’sPIL filed in April 2002 contended thatthestate administration and Modi were “complicit ” in the riots .

“Chief minister Narendra Modi had called then state Intelligence Bureau chief R B Sreekumar and his deputy Sanjiv Bhatt , and asked them to give my lawyers Rs 10 lakh to derail the PIL proceedings ,” alleged Sarabhai , claiming that the details of her allegations are present in affidavits filed by Sreekumar on Friday before the G T Nanavati and Akshay Mehta Commission probing the riots . She also said that Sanjiv Bhatt , in his statementtothecommission in May , said he was given instructions by Modi to use secret service’s money to bribe her lawyers .

However , Sreekumar distancedhimself from the allegation saying , “The copy of the affidavit being circulated is not mine . Its content , as told by Mallika Sarabhai to the media , could be true to some extent . I have submitted documents to to the Nanavati commission .”

Asked if the copy circulated by Sarabhai was taken out of the Nanavati commission report , Sreekumar said , “The Gujarat CM had called a meeting and asked me to hand over Rs 10 lakh to Sanjiv Bhatt , so I handed over the money to him . The CM and Bhatt were in direct communication , so I am not aware of what happened .”

Questioning Sarabhai’s detention , Sreekumar said , “Where was the need to quash a completely non-violent attempt ? ”