Gujarat High Court Dismisses Plea Seeking Disclosure Of Reasons For Withdrawal Of Sanjiv Bhatt’s Security In 2018

The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by former IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt's wife Shweta Sanjay Bhatt regarding disclosure of reasoning by the State Government for withdrawal of police protection of her husband. Sanjiv Bhatt's police protection was withdrawn by the State government vide order dated 16.07.2018 which was placed before the co-ordinate bench of the High Court on 03.12.2021 on its direction. He further submitted that it is the right of the petitioner to know the grounds or reasons for which the police protection provided to her husband was withdrawn and urged the court to direct the State Government to produce reasoning behind the order dated 16.07.2018. The court said when a responsible State Officer like learned Public Prosecutor makes a statement at bar and makes available copy of the order dated 16.07.2018 whereby the police protection was withdrawn not only in respect of the petitioner's husband but in respect of total 64 persons also, intention of the State Government cannot be questioned. "If such decision is directed to be provided to the petitioner by which methods State Government decides whether police protection is required to be granted to a particular person or not and whether to continue with it or not, there is all probability that it may travel from one hand to another and ultimately it may lead to exposing such modes and methods of the State Government which is of confidential nature to the people at large and ultimately the real purpose behind the granting of police protection may get frustrated," said the court, It further said: "When the petitioner could not successfully establish his right of getting police protection, after overall consideration by the State Government for withdrawal of police protection if any order is passed, it is not open for the petitioner to ask for reasonings behind withdrawal of police protection."