The report of the Godhra violence panel was shocking: Former Gujarat police chief RB Sreekumar

The report of the Godhra violence panel was shocking: Former Gujarat police chief RB Sreekumar

 INDIA

The Panel ignored the nine affidavits he had submitted earlier based on what he saw as ADGP (Intelligence) in 2002, says RB Sreekumar in his second book 'Gujarat Behind the Curtain'.

Rajiv Shah

In a clever analysis of the 2002 commission of inquiry into the civil unrest, released by the Gujarat government in December 2019 five years ago, former state police chief RB Sreekumar said "undoubtedly" and "carefully" cares to stop investigating and taking erroneous action. criminal justice, which has led to many acts of violence and empowering criminals to commit crimes against minorities. ”

The critique, added as a separate chapter, "Sycophantic Servility of Judicial Commission" in the second recently published edition of his book "Gujarat Behind the Curtain", point-by-point refers to the commission, which was then established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to investigate Godhra's burning train on February 27, 2002, and the riots that took place after Godhra, they considered his nine oaths, which he had filed before, all based on what he saw as the addition of the 2002 Director General of Police (Intelligence) in 2002.

Perhaps the biggest critic of the current Modi government was an eyewitness to how the police and state officials acted in 2002 under Modi, Sreekumar - whose promotion as DGP has been reversed after he retired after challenging the department's investigation into him. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and the Gujarat High Court (HC) - say, the final report of the 2 724 (FR) commissions was issued only after filing a case in the HC court. The Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 stipulates that the government must submit a report within six months of receiving it.

Noting that his submissions to the commission were "misrepresented", Sreekumar states that, in section 12 of FR's 8 volume, page 25, he referred to the collaboration with Ashok Narayan, General Secretary for Extension (ACS), Home, from April 9, 2002 to on September 18, 2002 but did not see his connection with Narayan was on August 20, 2004, when the official "confirmed" that the judges and vakilis supported the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) during the riots.

Sreekumar's contact record quotes Narayan as saying in his ninth affidavit: "Now I tell you about nature at the time. All members of the VHP faction; What can be done? Tell me. Bail applications have been ignored, what are we (the Department of Home Affairs) ... living in ... What can we say? The whole community is like that. PP (public prosecutor) and… a discussion with the Minister of Justice. "

According to Sreekumar, despite this, "surprisingly the commission has not received any action from the police and law enforcement agencies throughout Gujarat." Aren't any of the causes reported "excessive violence in 11 districts."

Also, although the commission was "enthusiastic about promoting state officials", Sreekumar said, it did not say why 11 of the 30 police districts remain "almost peaceful without killings" and "limited reported violence from eight states", including Surat City, where it was reported. there are only seven murders.

Referring to the fact that "its Commission" was keen to overthrow the demise of the State administration and the police, it had not made any effort to investigate the alleged failure and outright breach of the rules of procedure, "said Sreekumar, State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and a number of officials.

However, while the commission recommended that during civil unrest, "media restrictions should be placed on the issue of publication of incidents", it declined to charge anyone.

In addition, Sreekumar said, while FR volume 9, para 209 and 209 (1 and 2), pages 109, 110 and 111, "recorded" that the 54 bodies of the train fire of February 27, 2002 were donated to Dr. Jaideep Patel, Leader of State VHP, by taluka mamlatdar, Godhra, "as instructed by Jayanti Ravi, district magistrate, Godhra", "grossly violating the law of the Gujarat Police Manual (GPM), Volume III", the commission may not recommend any "disciplinary action" for all who suffer from this failure, because none of them have the authority to violate the terms of the GPM. "

In another mistake, Sreekumar said, two Cabinet Cabinet ministers - IK Jadeja and Ashok Bhatt - visited the DGP's office and the Commissioner of Police (CP), Ahmedabad City Office, following allegations that they disrupted police operations on Bandh Day on February 28. , 2002. “Minister Jadeja had agreed to remain in the office of the DGP K Chakravarthi for a few hours (FR volume 8, paragraph 32, page 44). The minister's action violated the Business Principles drafted by the Governor and the information on the allocation of portfolios by the Governor. ”

Then, according to Sreekumar, the Secretary-General should be the bridge between the authorities and the political authorities, as he is the only one attending Cabinet meetings. However, the commission "did not receive affidavits from the relevant authorities namely Swarankant Verma, IAS and G Subba Rao, IAS, acting secretary general and secretary general, and" were not summoned for questioning ". of the commission and its references ... "

Commenting on his ninth affidavit, in which Ashok Narayan, IAS, ACS Home, admitted that "the Prime Minister did not give any guidance or direction