Gujarat cop in trouble for leaking riot tapes

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has issued a notice to the state DIG Rahul Sharma, asking him to explain how and why he prepared a CD of phone records during the post-Godhra riots and why did he hand these over to probe agencies without the government's permission.

Nine years after the riots Sharma, an IPS officer, is being accused of leaking telephone call details of police officers, politicians, bureaucrats and Sangh Parivar leaders during the first week of the communal riots of 2002.

Gujarat government has issued the officer a notice asking: why action should not be taken against Sharma for leaking these call records? Why permission was not sought from the state government before preparing a CD of call details? Why state government's permission was not sought before handing over these CDs to Nanvati Commission, UC Banerjee Commission and RK Raghvan chaired Special Investigation Team (SIT)?

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Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has issued a notice to the state DIG Rahul Sharma, asking him to explain how and why he prepared a CD of phone records during the post-Godhra riots and why did he hand these over to probe agencies without the government's permission.Nine years after the riots Sharma, an IPS officer, is being accused of leaking telephone call details of police officers, politicians, bureaucrats and Sangh Parivar leaders during the first week of the communal riots of 2002.Gujarat government has issued the officer a notice asking: why action should not be taken against Sharma for leaking these call records? Why permission was not sought from the state government before preparing a CD of call details? Why state government's permission was not sought before handing over these CDs to Nanvati Commission, UC Banerjee Commission and RK Raghvan chaired Special Investigation Team (SIT)?

The call details have been crucial for investigating the role of state government officials, minister and other leaders in the 2002 riots.

"They are now targeting Mr Sharma because he is singularly responsible for exposing their dirty tricks," said advocate Mukul Sinha.

But Shrama is not the only one who is being targeted for speaking against the government. In past officers like RB Sreekumar, Kuldeep Sharma and AK Surolia have been punished for not toeing the government line.

"Even though I was awarded with two President's medals and received numerous appreciation letters, I was superceded in February from getting my legitimate promotion to the highest rank in the police department,” said RB Sreekumar, DGP (retired) Gujarat.

Whether it be riot survivors, human rights activists, advocates or even honest police officers, the road to justice for the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat has been a bumpy ride so far.