Ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt’s wife moves Gujarat HC for police protection
Ahmedabad, May 8: Sacked IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt's wife, who had contested against the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the 2012 Assembly elections on a Congress ticket, Wednesday approached the high court, seeking police protection.
Shweta Bhatt sought the Gujarat HC's direction to the respondents (the government) to provide her and her family with "armed police protection at the cost of the state", claiming there was a threat to her life.
Sanjiv Bhatt, is currently in judicial custody in a case of allegedly planting drugs to frame a person.
Justice Sonia Gokani, acting on her petition, issued notices to the Gujarat director general of police and the Ahmedabad Police commissioner and posted the matter for next hearing on May 10.
Security provided to Sanjiv Bhatt by the state government was withdrawn in July 2018.
Two months later on September 5, 2018, he was arrested in connection with the 1996 case of allegedly planting drugs to frame a person.
Sanjiv Bhatt had approached the Supreme Court after his security cover was withdrawn. The apex court, in turn, had directed him to approach the high court.
After his arrest, the "threat perception" against her and her family members has increased, she said in her petition.
Shweta Bhatt said her contesting the Assembly election against Modi had "enraged many".
She said certain incidents after the arrest of her husband has caused her to worry about the safety and security of herself and her family members.
Her car had met with an accident when a truck hit it in Ahmedabad. Unidentified persons were seen loitering around her house, and she was also followed by unknown people, she claimed in her petition.
Even Gujarat Police personnel follow her in plainclothes, making it hard for her to distinguish between police and unidentified persons, she claimed.
Shweta Bhatt said that a part of their house was demolished by the civic body recently and it has become vulnerable.
The demolished portion was deemed illegal by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Sanjiv Bhatt was suspended in 2011 on charges of remaining absent from duty without permission and misuse of official vehicle.
The Gujarat cadre IPS officer was eventually sacked by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2015.
He had crossed swords with Modi, the then chief minister, on several occasions over the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
Shweta Bhatt had unsuccessfully contested against Modi from the Maninagar Assembly constituency here in 2012.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
