In a big relief for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt's claim that he was present in a meeting at the then Gujarat CM's residence during the 2002 riots.
The IPS officer had claimed that Modi, during the meeting, allegedly asked police to go soft on those engaged in anti-Muslim violence in the aftermath of the killing of 62 kar sevaks in Godhra.
According to a Times of India report, the apex court accused Bhatt of trying to sensationalize the issue and attempting to put pressure on various authorities dealing with the riot cases.
This comes after the SC-appointed SIT gave Modi a clean chit in 2012 and said that there was no prosecutable evidence against him in the case.
Senior police officers who were present at the meeting earlier claimed that Bhatt was not even present at the meeting, but the IPS officer claimed otherwise.
Bhatt alleged that he was being victimized only because he had spoken up about the incident while adding that other officers were denying the allegations due to a fear of Modi.
Though the meeting took place in 2002, Bhatt first mentioned the incident nine years later in an affidavit brought before the court.
The TOI report also quotes the court as "It cannot be said that the petitioner has come to this court with clean hands. Firstly , the petitioner kept quiet for a period of nine years as to the factum of meeting dated 27.2.2002. Then he was exchanging emails for ascertaining the time and presence of the persons at Ahmedabad. In case he was present in the meeting, it was not required of him to ascertain those facts."
With the SC passing this verdict, the controversy has finally come to an end.