FIR against Sanjiv Bhatt an abuse of law: HC

The Gujarat high court on Friday quashed the FIR lodged against suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt allegedly for providing false information.

The court also set aside all the proceedings initiated against Mr Bhatt by the magistrate, observing it as an abuse of law.

The complaint was filed against Mr Bhatt by ACP NC Patel on October 21, 2011 before a magistrate for evading summons and furnishing false information in connection with a case pertaining to illegal confinement of a police constable KD Pant.

ACP Patel is the investigating officer in the case. In his complaint, Patel had alleged that Bhatt did not appear before the police on the pretext that he had to appear before the Nanavati commission.

While quashing the FIR, Justice MR Shah said that sections 172 (absconding to avoid summons) and 177(furnishing false information) of IPC were not applicable, as Mr Bhatt had responded the summons.

He further observed that the information in question is not related to the case for which he was summoned.

Bhatt\\\’s subordinate constable KD Pant had filed the case alleging that Mr Bhatt had threatened, wrongfully confined him and also made him sign a false affidavit in connection with Bhatt\\\’s presence in a meeting called by CM Narendra Modi on February 27, 2002 after the Godhra train burning incident in February 2002.