Mumbai NGOs condemn Bhatt's arrest

Mumbai: City-based Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) today slammed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for arresting IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt saying it was a “highly vindictive” move to subvert justice. [caption id=“attachment_98430” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The Ngos said that Bhatt’s arrest was an attempt to intimidate key witnesses ahead of the filing of the charge sheet by the SIT in a case filed by Zakia Jafri in 2006. Reuters”]  [/caption] Addressing the media, they said that Bhatt’s arrest was an attempt to intimidate key witnesses ahead of the filing of the charge sheet by the Special Investigating Team in a case filed by Zakia Jafri in 2006. Representatives of NGOs such as Mumbai Aman Committee, Marta-Ul-Maarif, All India Ulema Council, Movement for Human Welfare, Citizens For Justice and Peace and Markazul Ma’arif Education and Research Centre addressed the media. Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, alleged that Modi and 61 others, including politicians, policemen and bureaucrats, had colluded to ensure that those attacked by the rampaging mobs during the 2002 riots did not receive help and Bhatt is the prime witness in the case. Teesta Setalwad, secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace, said “the highly vindictive action of arresting Bhatt was an attempt to subvert justice and malign his image as he is an important public witness in the Zafri case. This is a panicked move by Modi and his government just ahead of the chargesheet to be filed by SIT in the Zafri case.” Bhatt was arrested on Friday on the basis of an FIR filed against him by police constable K D Pant for allegedly threatening him and forcing to sign a false affidavit with regard to a meeting called by Chief Minister Narendra Modi on 27 February 2002, hours after the Godhra train carnage. PTI