Godhra riots records destroyed way back in 2007: Guj govt

Ahmedabad, Jun 30: After accusations were rife on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's involvement in the Godhra communal riots, the state govt in its own submission revealed that telephone call records, registers of officers' movement and vehicle log books of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) during the tumultuous period of the riots in 2002 were destroyed in 2007.

The government counsel in the Nanavati Commission, S B Vakil revealed that the records were destroyed after the IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt was questioned. With government rule that states records can be destroyed after a period of five years, any indication of foul play is ruled out.

Vakil commented, “As per general government rules the telephone call records, vehicle log book and the officer's movement diary are destroyed after a certain period." He added that the specific records pertaining to the Godhra riots and the burning of the Sabarmati express was destroyed in 2007. On Bhatts insistence to see the records, Vakil said, “Bhatt knows that the records are not available and despite that he is asking for them."

The counsel speaking for the riot victims has termed this a serious development, especially, since the riot cases were under judicial enquiry at that time.

Bhatt had declared with the Nanavati Commission who is probing the Godhra riots that he was present at the crucial meeting with CM Narendra Modi and that his views that the police were not helping out the victims of the riots fell into deaf ears. The CM was accused of not taking tangible action on that front.

Bhatt had also filed an affidavit with the Supreme Court, a day after the Sabarmati Express was burnt down in Godhra leading to the death of 59 kar sevaks on Feb 27, 2002. He had stated that the CM had asked police to be indifferent to rioters. He claimed that he shared this piece of information with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) but was largely ignored.

Several other Gujarat police officers however claim that Bhatt was not present at that meeting.

OneIndia News