Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat cadre IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt is currently lodged in jail in connection with the 1996 Palanpur NDPS case and the 1990 Jamnagar custodial death case.
In an exclusive interview to ETV Bharat, his wife Shweta Bhatt said that her husband is a victim of a political conspiracy.
In 2011, when Sanjeev Bhatt filed an affidavit against the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in the Supreme Court at 11 a.m., an old case against him was re-investigated at 4 p.m. on the same day. Although the SC had stayed the Palanpur NDPS case, it was re-investigated.
He and other police personnel were sentenced to life imprisonment in the Jamnagar Custodial Death case in July 2019, whose appeal is pending in the Gujarat High Court. He has not received bail or any other relief from the Sessions Court or the High Court for the last two years.
Shweta Bhatt further added that some accused have been made witnesses in the Jamnagar Custodial Death case while in the Palanpur NDPS case, police officer I.B. Vyas himself has been made an overnight witness.
Shweta also alleged that not enough documents of the case were made available.
Also read: Ex-cop Bhatt moves HC for discharge in 1996 drug planting case
The government, on the other hand, has accused Shweta Bhatt of delaying the trial, in response to which she said that anyone has the right to defend oneself legally, the government wants to expedite the case and convict Sanjeev Bhatt and that her husband has not even received regular bail for two years.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: You have been fighting a legal battle for your husband Sanjeev Bhatt for the last two years. What are the problems you faced so far in this battle?
A: This period has been very difficult for me. I am the wife of an officer and I have always stood by him. I had to go to different places including Palanpur, Jamnagar every day and meet the lawyers there. Often the whole day is spent in court. This is really very challenging.
Q: Sanjeev Bhatt has been in jail for almost two years but has not yet been granted bail by the Sessions Court or the High Court. Have you recently applied to the High Court for a non-hearing by video conference?
A: I have been struggling to get bail for my husband for the last two years but have failed to get the bail. Sanjiv was a senior IPS officer. When he was here, he could have been questioned. But all of a sudden on September 5, 2018, at 8 in the morning, 40 to 50 persons arrived at our home and without saying anything took away my husband. They did not even allow us to meet our lawyer. Sanjiv asked the lady magistrate of Palanpur to let him consult his lawyer. The magistrate gave him ten minutes time. Thereafter, Sanjiv stood up and narrated his case. The magistrate rejected his police remand. The next day, the state government presented an application before the High Court and pressed into service a very expensive lawyer against him. Isn't it strange why the government is taking so much interest in convicting Sanjiv? Sanjiv is not a terrorist. Yet, the government sought his 14 days remand. The remand was sanctioned yet Sanjiv was not questioned. Ever since that day, I have been struggling to get bail for him.
Also read: Kerala CM, UDF assure support to jailed cop Sanjiv Bhatt's wife
Q: In the year 2011, Sanjeev Bhatt filed an affidavit against the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi. Is that the thing that is bothering you now?
A: Not only me, the whole country thinks this is a political act of vengeance. In the morning he submitted the affidavit and at 4 pm the old case against him was re-opened. The Palanpur NDPS case was re-investigated despite the stay granted by the Supreme Court. The same person has been tried twice for the same crime.
Q: Do you think Sanjeev Bhatt is facing problems because of those in power?
A: Sanjeev became an IPS officer when he was 23 years old. This was his first posting in Jamnagar. The virtue of honesty and integrity is considered important for an officer but that is the only thing that is bothering us today. He spoke the truth which is why our whole family is struggling.
Q: Have you faced any intimidation during Sanjeev Bhatt's two years in jail?
A: My husband was taken away right in front of my eyes, what could be a bigger threat than this? I was driving and the truck collided with my car and I had an accident. By the grace of God we survived. At night people ride scooters outside our house. Some vehicles follow me. This should be investigated. Sanjeev has told the truth, this is not a fantasy but a reality. Violence and riots have taken place in the year 2002. If an officer speaks the truth, he has to face the consequence. What message you would you like to convey to other police officers? I had to never say in any interview that Sanjiv is honest. Everyone knows the truth. People talk in private but are afraid to speak out in the open.
Q: Sanjiv Bhatt was an IPS officer. Did he get support from any other officers?
A: Yes, many friends do make phone calls but are unable to do anything because of fear. From police officers to filmmakers, everyone is feeling the pressure. If we do not raise questions, then we will be heading towards hypocrisy.
Q: What are the problems you are facing in this struggle in times of coronavirus crisis?
A: I have the support of my two children. Besides that, I have been facing all the problems single-handedly. It is a very difficult time for us. When an officer does something good for society, society should also support him. If this continues, no other officer will dare to act like Sanjiv did and all they will do is serve their own interest.
Also read: Session court sentences former IPS Sanjiv Bhatt to life imprisonment
My husband would always tell that in times of violence, one’s primary responsibility is to stop the violence keeping aside one’s caste, creed or community. This is the duty of a police officer and Sanjiv has always followed this principle.
Q: The government lawyer had argued in the High Court that by filing for bail, Sanjiv attempted to delay the trial of his case. The court has demanded a surety till the time physical hearing is not held.
A: When an officer is made an accused, he would use his right in his defence. Many times, the government has delayed the hearing. There is a further delay because of the coronavirus pandemic. Why is the government in such a hurry to convict Sanjiv? We have not even been provided with the necessary documents. Our petition runs into 500 pages. We need to draw the court’s attention to many things contained in the petition. There are a lot of difficulties in video conferencing on account of the problem of network connectivity. So, I do not want to take any risk. I remain present on every hearing date. We need to know everything about what is happening during the hearing. If the government has made every convict in Palanpur’s NDPS case a witness, should we not file our objection? These people are trying to spread falsehood by showing only half-truth.
Q: What will be the course of your legal battle in future?
A: I will continue to fight until my husband returns home. Sanjiv is innocent. He has been falsely implicated. We will be moving the Supreme Court for his bail now.
