'2002 riot records destroyed'

In a startling revelation, the Gujarat government has told the Nanavati Commission probing the 2002 Gujarat riots that all official documents pertaining to the period of the riots were destroyed four years ago.

In a startling revelation, the Gujarat government has told the Nanavati Commission probing the 2002 Gujarat riots that all official documents pertaining to the period of the riots were destroyed four years ago.

HT Image

“As per general government rules the telephone call records, vehicle log book, the officer’s movement diary and are destroyed after a certain period. The state intelligence bureau records were also destroyed in 2007,” state government counsel SB Vakil said during the commission proceedings on Wednesday.

Sanjiv Bhatt, who was deputy commissioner of police (Gujarat intelligence bureau) in 2002, had asked for the documents to be able to make a “meaningful deposition” before the inquiry panel. He was summoned by the commission in May. During Bhatt’s cross-examination, Vakil told the IPS officer that he had “crossed his limit” by levelling allegations against chief minister Narendra Modi.

Bhatt had filed an affidavit in April alleging that Modi had told top police officials and bureaucrats to “let Hindus vent out their anger” after the Sabarmati Express was set on fire near Godhra railway station on February 27, 2002, killing 59 people. The incident triggered massive communal riots across Gujarat.