Will another defender ever stand up to defend you? Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt questions people
In an impassioned plea, Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt, the wife of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, has denounced what she terms as an "illegal" and "unlawful" conviction handed down to her husband by the Palanpur Sessions court in Gujarat. Sanjiv Bhatt, already serving a life sentence in a separate case, was sentenced to an additional 20 years in jail in connection with a 1996 case involving the planting of drugs to frame a Rajasthan-based lawyer.
Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt took to social media platform X to express her outrage at the court's decision, decrying it as a gross miscarriage of justice. In her post, she alleged that the judiciary, represented by "Justice" J.N. Thakkar, had delivered a verdict riddled with illegality and falsehoods. She asserted that her husband had been falsely implicated in a fabricated case that dates back nearly three decades.
The crux of Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt's argument lies in the court's ruling that the 20-year sentence handed to her husband would not run concurrently with his existing life imprisonment term. Instead, the court ordered that the 20-year sentence would commence only after the completion of the life imprisonment term, effectively ensuring that her husband would spend a considerable portion of his life behind bars.
Furthermore, Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt lamented that the time her husband had already spent as an under-trial during the prolonged legal proceedings would not be counted towards his sentence. This, she contended, amounted to a flagrant violation of legal principles and a denial of basic human rights.
"Justice" J.N. Thakkar today pronounced an unlawful conviction of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment NOT CONCURRENT to the Life Imprisonment sentence along with a fine of 5 lakh rupees. Which means, the 5.5 years spent as an under-trial in this case while the prosecution maliciously dragged the fabricated case on and on will not be counted towards the 20 years of imprisonment or the unlawful Life imprisonment sentence… In fact, in a gross departure from legal principles, as per the judgement pronounced by J.N. Thakkar, the 20 years of imprisonment are to start and counted after the completion of the Life Imprisonment sentence. THE REGIME WANTS TO PUNISH SANJIV BHATT TO DEATH AND THEN PUNISH HIM BEYOND DEATH FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT!!!” Shweta’s post read.
In her plea, Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt accused the ruling regime of orchestrating a campaign to silence her husband, whom she portrayed as a fearless advocate for truth and justice. She asserted that the relentless persecution faced by Sanjiv Bhatt over the past two decades was a testament to the threat his truth posed to those in power.
“Just when you think the regime and their bootlickers cannot stoop any lower, they fall further down to unimaginable lows! Not only is this an absolute mockery of the judiciary and blatant abuse of power but it stands against every legal tenant of jurisprudence! This is the heavy and cruel price Sanjiv Bhatt is paying for standing up for what is right while the very society he sacrificed his everything to protect remains silent and watches on as mute spectators. This is the price Sanjiv Bhatt is paying for your continued silence and apathy …” Shweta wrote in her tweet.
“Dangerous examples continue to be made of Sanjiv Bhatt as the regime continues to leave no stone unturned to prosecute and target him, so much so that they are using any and every desperate means, to discredit Sanjiv and ensure he spends his life languishing in jail. The regime has targeted and persecuted Sanjiv Bhatt relentlessly for the last 2 decades, which is testimony to the colossal threat Sanjiv’s truth poses to this regime. The misuse of the judiciary and abuse of power is only indicative of how desperate the regime is to silence Sanjiv at any cost!” she added.
Drawing attention to what she perceives as a broader erosion of democratic values and the rule of law, Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt called upon society to rally behind her husband and denounce the injustice being meted out to him. She urged individuals to speak out against what she described as a "declaration of war against truth" and to stand in solidarity against tyranny and oppression.
“You failed to protect your defenders; will another defender ever stand up to defend you in the future!? The regime and its lackeys, intoxicated by power and fuelled by malice, are determined to crush dissent, to silence the voices that dare to speak out against their tyranny. Let us rise, not in anger, but in solidarity. Let us raise our voices, not in hatred, but in unwavering determination. Let us fight, for Sanjiv Bhatt … against the injustice meted out to him! This isn't just injustice; this is a declaration of war against truth, against righteousness, against the very essence of humanity!!” she further added.
This is Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt,
— Sanjiv Bhatt (IPS) (@sanjivbhatt) March 28, 2024
Today, on 28th March 2024, the “Justice” J.N. Thakkar of the Palanpur Sessions court illegally and falsely convicted Sanjiv Bhatt in a 28-year-old fabricated case.
"Justice" J.N. Thakkar today pronounced an unlawful conviction of 20 years of… pic.twitter.com/CU9EamCZCo
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
