[April 24, 2011] Modi instructed cops to ignore rioters, claims IPS officer Tweet AHMEDABAD, Apr 23, 2011 (Khaleej Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A senior police officer has pointed an accusing finger at Narendra Modi, claiming the chief minister had instructed police officers to go soft on Hindu rioters during the 2002 communal clashes. Sanjiv Bhatt, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has said in an 18-page affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court that he was present at the February 27, 2002 late-night controversial closed-door meeting held at Modi's residence where the latter had made explosive statements. According to Bhatt, who was with the state intelligence department when the riots broke out, Modi had said at the emergency meeting attended by top government officials and ministers that Hindus were seething with anger after the Godhra train carnage earlier in the day, and hence they should be allowed to vent their anger. He said the law and order situation swiftly worsened as the police officers blindly followed Modi's dictat. Bhatt said he had shared all this exclusive information with the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) during the recording of his statement on March 23 but after no action was taken, he decided to tell the truth to the apex court. The IPS officer, now sidelined as the principal of the State Reserve Police Training Centre near Junagadh, also said in his affidavit posted to the registrar of the Supreme Court on April 14 that the sensitive information was immediately leaked to the state government and hence he had no faith in the SIT which was shielding Modi. Also, he told the court that after he revealed details of Modi's instigating instructions, the Gujarat government started harassing him, by first taking back his official car. He urged the Supreme Court to provide protection to him and his family. Last year, Modi was questioned in two marathon sessions by the SIT in a Gujarat riots case. He had then told journalists that he recalled to the extent possible the sequence of events that had taken place eight years ago. -- [email protected] To see more of the Khaleej Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.khaleejtimes.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Khaleej Times, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]