Gandhinagar: Dismissed IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt has been taken to Gandhinagar by CID Crime of Gujarat Police for questioning in Palanpur drug planting case. CID Crime has taken into detention Bhatt with six others including retired Police Inspector Vyas based on evidence. Sanjeev Bhatt’s arrest is likely in this late 1990s period case.

A criminal complaint was filed in 1996 by one Sumer Singh Rajpurohit, an Advocate practicing at Pali, Rajasthan against Shri Sanjiv Bhatt, the then SP, Banaskantha District.

It was registered against Sanjiv Bhatt & others vide FIR No. 403/96 dtd. 18-11-1996 u/s 120B, 195, 196, 342, 347, 357, 365, 388, 458, 482 IPC and Sec. 58 (1) & 58 (2) of NDPS Act.

After the investigation, a chargesheet was filed against Shri Sanjiv Bhatt & others u/s 114, 120B, 323, 342, 348, 357, 365, 368, 388, 452, 201 & 482 IPC and Sec. 9, 17, 18, 29, 58 (1) & 58 (2) r/w Sec. 37 of NDPS Act in the Court of Special Judge, NDPS Act, Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

It was mentioned that Sumer Singh Rajput was a tenant of sister of R.R. Jain, a sitting Judge of Gujarat High Court. To get the tenant evacuated from the rented premises, Sanjiv Bhatt, the then SP of Banaskanthe and his subordinate policemen planted more than 1 kg of Narcotic drug in a hotel room at Palanpur, Gujarat, which was shown as occupied by a complainant when he was actually in Pali, Rajasthan.

The said complainant Advocate was abducted at midnight from Pali on the instructions of Sanjiv Bhatt by his subordinate police staff and taken to Palanpur, Banaskantha in Gujarat.

The said Advocate was pressurised by Sanjiv Bhatt and his subordinate police officers to vacate the said rented premises by threatening arrest under offence under NDPS Act.

The Advocate under pressure vacated the property.

Physical possession of the property was immediately handed over to sister of Shri R.R. Jain, then Judge in Gujarat High Court.

Sanjiv Bhatt released Sumersingh Rajpurohit on 08-05-1996, after filing a report u/s 169 Cr.P.C., in which it was stated that Sumer Singh could not be identified in the Test Identification Parade.

Applications were filed for quashing the criminal complaint filed against Sanjiv Bhatt and others in Pali at Gujarat and Rajasthan High Court. But the petitions had been dismissed and the criminal case was still pending. Also, the Gujarat Vigilance Commission had recommended twice on 15-07-2002 and 19-10-2006 for suspension of Sanjiv Bhatt for his professional misconducts. A complaint was also made before the National Human Rights Commission. The Commission considering the serious human right violation by its order dated 15-09-2010 directed the State Govt. of Gujarat to pay a sum of Rs. One lakh as monetary relief to Sumer Singh, advocate, Pali. The Gujarat government issued order dated 23-12-2010 as per the direction of the NHRC to pay the amount. A cheque was issued on 25-01-2011 in favour of S.C. Rajpurohit.

Since the criminal proceeding was pending against Sajiv Bhatt and as one charge sheet had been issued to him, Sanjiv Bhatt had grievances against the state government. He had been trying to get these issues settled and get his overdue promotion as IGP.