Suspended IPS officer gets notice over video, denies charge

Ahmedabad, Aug 17: Gujarat government has issued a showcause notice to suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt on the basis of a video clip and sought his explanation for allegedly having a relationship with a woman other than his wife, a charge denied by him.

Along with the notice served to him on August 14, it is learnt that the state Home Department has also sent the video CD to Bhatt, a 1988 batch IPS officer who has been under suspension since 2011.

The notice mentioned that the alleged clip has been examined by Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) under the state Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS), which said in its report that the CD is authentic and no tampering has been done.

On receiving the notice along with CD, Bhatt sent his written reply on August 15 in which he stated that the person in the CD is not him.

"I sent my reply to the Home Department on August 15. I told them that the person in the video is not me, but someone who bears a general resemblance to me," said Bhatt.

He further clarified in his reply that "closer examination reveals striking differences in facial features, including the shape and size of the nose, forehead and ears there are many other significant differences in the body shape, structure, body hair, balding pattern, shape of fingers, etc."

He also raised questions on the FSL findings, which the Home Department cited in the notice served to him.

"It is apparent that the results of FSL examination, suggesting positive identity between me and the person in the said video clipping, are based on grossly insufficient comparison data," Bhatt replied.

He further requested a detailed and scientific examination to dispel any doubt. "In order to dispel any doubts, I am willing to submit myself to Detailed Biometric Examination and Analysis at the DFS of any other facility so as to facilitate proper and conclusive comparison between me and the person in the said video," he said in his reply to the Home Department.

Bhatt took on the Gujarat government when Narendra Modi was Chief Minister by filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court, in which he alleged that Modi had instructed officers to allow Hindus "to vent out their anger" during the 2002 riots.

PTI