Sanjiv Bhatt not allowed to move court, says wife
The Supreme Court on Monday sought Gujarat government’s response on a petition filed by the wife of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhat, alleging that her husband was prevented from moving the court to seek legal remedy and that she was constrained to file the plea on his behalf.
A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha described as “very serious” the allegation by Shweta Bhatt that her husband was not being allowed to sign ‘ vakalatnama’ and other documents necessary for approaching the court.
Justice Gogoi observed, It is a serious allegation if true. Usually the accused comes to court. But in this case, the wife has come to the court. If a citizen is making a serious allegation, the state must give its response. Before we go into the merit of the case, we will like the State of Gujarat to respond, as according to us the issue raised is of considerable importance as it pertains to the allegation against the State preventing a citizen from coming to court.”
Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the State submitted that the State would file its response by Friday and the bench posted the matter for further hearing on October 4.
The CID Crime Branch of Gujarat Police arrested Sanjiv Bhatt on September 5 in connection with a 1996 case allegedly framing a Rajasthanbased lawyer, Sumersingh Rajpurohit, in a narcotics peddling case. Bhatt was serving as the Banaskantha district SP when a lawyer was booked under the NDPS Act.