'Narendra Modi made sure those accused of killing Muslims were protected'

Retired additional director general of police RB Sreekumar, one of the first whistleblowers from the Gujarat cadre of the IPS, has revealed in an affidavit that chief minister Narendra Modi and his government left no stone unturned to see that those accused of killing Muslims in 2002 were protected.

In his latest affidavit, Sreekumar has said that secret service funds of the state intelligence agency were used to subvert the efforts of activists who had challenged the government's role in the 2002 carnage.

Sreekumar told DNA that Modi had called a meeting on April 10, 2004, in his office. "I had gone for the meeting with Sanjeev Bhatt. The chief minister asked me to give Rs10 lakh to Bhatt for a project."

According to a source, the affidavit says the secret service account only had Rs8,000. But on the chief minister's instruction, then chief secretary G Subbarao transferred a huge amount into it to facilitate the payment to Bhatt.

Sitting on his sofa, Sreekumar, 65, said, "I did not ask, nor was it my duty to ask the purpose of such allotment of the funds. But on our way back, Bhatt revealed that the funds were to be used to get the petition filed by Mallika Sarabhai dismissed.

"The chief minister had instructed him to do something to stop her petition as it would damage him."

In his affidavit, Sreekumar allegedly stated that on April 12, 2002, a cash worth of Rs10 lakh had been received by his office and the same was sent to Bhatt. "As this was all oral, I had made noting in my personal diary and have submitted the copy of the diary before the Nanavati Commission," revealed Sreekumar.

The chief minister and his office made several attempts to influence the investigation and subvert the process. Sreekumar, the then Additional Director General of Police (State Intelligence Branch), recalling the days when he had been instructed to follow the order of the superior in the case, said "after the incident of Bhatt, series of such oral instruction followed one after the other from the office of the chief minister."

"I discussed it with my junior, OP Mathur, about such oral instructions. He too agreed to the proposal of making a register and recording all the instructions. He had not only bought the register by himself but also certified the same with his signature and under his authority. I have submitted the copy of the pages to the SIT as well as to the Nanavati Commission," he recalled.

"I had informed the chief minister's office about the inaction of the prosecution and investigation agency towards the Hindus who were accused of killing hundreds of Muslims. I had categorically stated that the investigating officers have failed to nab the actual accused who had killed innocent members of minority community. While the accused who had been apprehended were allowed to move freely in the state, the special public prosecutors chose not to raise any objection during hearing of the bail application before the courts. In spite of several reminders the authorities took no action," added Sreekumar.

Condemning the state government for its bias approach towards the officers, 65 year old retired officer, who had been taken to task for exposing the state government, said, "the officer who had followed the orders of the government and allowed the massacre to continue and supported the senior politicians to influence the process of justice, have been promoted. But the officer who exposed the state government is now facing prosecution initiated by the state government."

"Initially I was threatened by many officials who had warned me of serious consequence but I did not stop," said Sreekumar.

Disappointed with the state government's stand and their inaction, Sreekumar submitted all the evidence to the Nanavati Commission and SIT, the investigating agency appointed by the apex court to probe the broader picture behind 2002 riot. "I had submitted all the evidence gathered by me before the STI and Nanavati Commission. While the commission is yet to call me for deposition, the SIT did record my statement in 2009," he said.

Complaining about the bias investigation of SIT he said, "The agency has yet not given me a copy of the statement recorded by them and while recording the statement they had made several attempts the temper my statement. The government had also attempted to tutor me when I was summoned by the commission to give my evidence."

"It is unfortunate that the SIT has also failed to do the justice. The riots were not possible without the connivance of the police, but the agency has so far managed to nab only one police inspector who had a very minimal role to pay. The real faces behind it were exposed," he said.

However, after the apex court order, Sreekumar finds the agency in a fix as it requires them to take stand. "The agency is now at a crucial juncture and they have to either file a summary report against Modi or chargesheet him. It would be tough decision for them. But I hope justice would prevail." he added.