Gujarat Law Minister faces complaint over favouritism

A complaint against Gujarat Law Minister Ashok Bhatt was filed in the city sessions court on Tuesday by advocate B.M. Gupta. In his applicat...

A complaint against Gujarat Law Minister Ashok Bhatt was filed in the city sessions court on Tuesday by advocate B.M. Gupta.

In his application, Gupta alleged that Bhatt misused his power in appointing public prosecutors and additional public prosecutors. Gupta said Bhatt has rewarded some advocates, who were his defence counsels at various stages of the murder trial, in which Bhatt and Harin Pathak are the accused, by giving them plum postings.

Gupta alleged that public prosecutor for Godhra POTA cases S.M. Dhruv is getting exorbitant remuneration per hearing and is entitled to payment for non-effective hearings. This is when 15 public prosecutors in the city court get Rs 400 per day.

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Among those whom Bhatt has rewarded are Dhruv, Sudhir Brahmbhatt, Umesh Trivedi and Jayant Panchal, alleged Gupta.

Dhruv has been appointed Special Public Prosecutor, the other three have been appointed Additional Public Prosecutors. Jayant Panchal has been appointed as Special Prosecutor in the Nanavati Commission.

The complaint was admitted in the court of the city principal judge and is scheduled for further hearing in the court of the additional principal judge on June 16.