Sanjiv Bhatt victim of political vindictiveness, say wife and son

Agencies

July 8, 2019

New Delhi, Jul 8: The wife of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, sentenced to life imprisonment in a 1990 custodial death case, on Sunday alleged her husband was a victim of political vindictiveness and there was a threat to her life.

Bhatt was suspended in 2011 after he filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court accusing Narendra Modi, then Gujarat chief minister and now Prime Minister, of involvement in riots in the state in 2002.

The officer was dismissed in 2015 over unauthorised absence and other charges. Bhatt was arrested last year for allegedly fabricating evidence in a 1996 case and has been in Palanpur jail for more than 10 months.

At a press conference, Shweta Bhatt said her family has had a hard time since Sanjiv was convicted in the case and it has “torn them apart”.

The case is related to the custodial deaths of Prabhudas Vaishnani, who was among 133 people caught by Jamnagar police after a communal riot during L K Advani’s Rath Yatra.

She said her husband had “neither arrested nor detained anyone as he was not empowered to do so. Secondly, Prabhudas died 18 days after he was detained. He never complained of torture before the magistrate or anybody else.”

“It was not the family of Prabhudas but a member of the VHP, Amrutlal Vaishnani, who filed a complaint of custodial torture,” she claimed.

She said: “Our security was withdrawn. Just before a bail hearing (in January), a dumper truck without a registration plate and in a place where heavy vehicles are not permitted rammed into my car and dragged us until we hit a divider. The driver of the truck had no papers on him. Half of my house, which is 23 years old, has been broken down by authorities (last year), and we have been billed Rs 2.5 lakh as demolition charges. Wherever I go I am followed and photographed. Why do you think it is happening?”

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This is the fate of those oppose Modi and Shah but destinstion of all human being is death ,truth will prevail sooner or later or in spiritual world , no one can punished beyond death which has to be faced by every one...God bless Sanjeev Bhutt.

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‘Have letter, next step is...’: MUDA on Siddaramaiah’s wife’s offer to return plots

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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