Gujarat’s theatre of the absurd keeps Sanjiv Bhatt in jail

The Gujarat government is playing out what can be best described as the theatre of absurd to prolong the imprisonment of the whistle-blower former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, a key witness of the involvement of the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom.

It has been 75 days now since Bhatt was arrested by the Gujarat crime branch police on September 5 last. The government pleader has been filibustering before the district sessions court of Palanpur to delay the hearing of his bail application. A scrutiny of the court proceedings, recorded by the CCTV would expose the prosecutor’s delaying tactics.

I was a witness to one such hearing on November 14 when the government pleader, Mitesh Amin, presented himself at 2.45 pm instead of 11 am as summoned by the court, and then argued for four hours, repeating for the fourth time the same points which he had raised before the chief judicial magistrate and before the Gujarat high court while seeking police remand for Bhatt.

Even though the district judge directed the government pleader to be present at 11 am sharp on November 17 (today), Amin, nevertheless reported two hours late and began his argument at 1 pm.

The government pleader was pulled up by the district judge saying, “Mr Amin, you are repeating the same points again and again, so much so that even I have memorised your speech and, if you wish, I too can present your case.”

Unabashedly, Amin continued his argument. As a result, Sanjiv Bhatt did not get the opportunity to present his case even today. Now, he would be able to put forth his counter argument on the next date of hearing. He remains in jail till he gets the bail.