Nobody forced me: Cop who filed complaint against Sanjiv Bhatt

AHMEDABAD | NEW DELHI: Even as political parties took anti and pro-Sanjiv Bhatt positions, the main complainant in the arrest of suspended IPS officer, KD Panth, has rejected the claim that he was being forced to file a complaint against the official.

"I have lodged the FIR (First Information Report) based on the situations that I faced while working with Bhatt. Therefore, there is no question of any pressure from anyone," Panth told reporters here.

Bhatt was arrested on an FIR filed on June 24 by Panth, who had worked as the IPS official's driver. Panth had alleged that Bhatt "threatened and forced" him to sign a "false affidavit" to support the officer's claim that he was present at the meeting at the Chief Minister's residence on February 27, 2002.

At the meeting, it was claimed that Modi issued a directive to police officers to "allow the Hindus to vent their anger" on Muslims, following the burning of Kar Sewaks in a train at Godhra.

"I have reported the incident in the FIR that I was made to sign the affidavit by wrong means. And I have mentioned everything in the FIR," Panth told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Sessions Court, hearing the revision remand petition of the Gujarat government against Bhatt, reserved the order for October 7.

Bhatt had moved a bail application in a local court in Ahmedabad on Monday in which he submitted he was falsely implicated with an ulterior motive at the behest of some political functionaries and senior police officers.

Bhatt claimed Panth appeared to be acting following 'diktats' from political members of the Modi government. According to the plea of the IPS officer, his arrest was aimed at getting hold of the alleged evidence he had against Modi with regard to the 2002 communal riots, and destroying them.