Notice to IPS officer Guj govt attempt to protect Modi: Cong

New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) Congress today alleged thatGujarat government''s action against senior IPS officer RahulSharma was an attempt to "protect" Chief Minister NarendraModi in regard to the Godhra aftermath.

"The proceedings against Sharma is just an example ofthe kind of efforts that the BJP and the BJP Government hasbeen making to protect Modi because in the eyes of the public,he has already been convicted," Union Minister and seniorCongress leader Kapil Sibal told reporters.

Sibal was asked to comment on the show-cause noticeissued by the Gujarat police to Sharma who had submitted aCompact Disk (CD) containing phone call records of policeofficials and political leaders to various probe panelsinquiring into the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

The Minister said that the action showed how theNarendra Modi administration has "constantly been throwingroadblocks" in the way of a fair inquiry into the Gujaratriots.

Taking a dig at BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Sibal said "Iremember my good friend Jaitley immediately after the riotssaying that we are setting up a Nanavati Commission and thereport would be available to us in four months....We are in2011 and nine years have passed and those four months are notyet over"''.

The notice asks Sharma why action should not be initiatedagainst him for handing over the telephone records concerningthe 2002 riots to inquiry panels without obtaining permissionfrom the government.

The move by the state government comes a day after theTehelka magazine released details of purported report of theSupreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) intopost-Godhra riots and Modi''s alleged role.