Sanjiv Bhatt Granted Permission to Go Abroad

A court here today granted permission to former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to travel to the United Kingdom for 30 days.

Bhatt, who was on suspension since 2011, had taken on Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, by alleging mishandling of the 2002 riots. He was sacked two weeks ago.

As his passport was confiscated by the court in 2011, Bhatt, who was recently dismissed from the service, had filed a plea to get it back and sought permission to go abroad.

He said he wanted to accompany his daughter who had got admission at a UK university for post-graduate medical course.

Additional Sessions Judge P M Patel allowed him to go to the UK between September 1 to September 30. He was asked to deposit Rs one lakh with the court.

The judge also said that he can't travel to any other country except the UK and should give details of his whereabouts during the visit, contact details, etc.

As Bhatt is facing a criminal case related to a custodial death, pending before the Jam Khambhalia court of Devbhoomi Dwarka district, the court asked Bhatt to give an undertaking that he will not raise any objection if a hearing takes place there during the period of his absence from the country.