<p>The Gujarat government appointed 1985-batch IPS officer of Director General of Police rank, Ashish Bhatia, as the state police chief who replaced incumbent DGP Shivanand Jha after his superannuation on Friday.</p>.<p>Bhatia, currently the commissioner of police, Ahmedabad city, is also the convener of the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) which probed nine major cases of 2002 post-Godhra riots.</p>.<div>Bhatia is the senior-most officer heading the SIT which probed Naroda Patiya, Naroda Gam, Gulberg Society, Ode, Sardarpura riot cases.</div>.<div>It also probed a complaint filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of ex-Congress MP Ahsan Jafri who was killed in Gulberg Society Massacre along with 68 others Muslims by a mob, alleging then chief minister Narendra Modi, now prime minister, among others of orchestrating the riots.</div>.<div>The SIT report found no evidence supporting her allegations and gave a clean chit to Modi and others. A magisterial court in Ahmedabad and Gujarat High Court has upheld the report which is under challenge in the apex court. </div>.<div>Bhatia, 58, is also known for supervising the 2008 serial bomb blast cases in Ahmedabad in which 57 persons were killed. Over the years, a total of 80 accused have been arrested in this case. </div>
<p>The Gujarat government appointed 1985-batch IPS officer of Director General of Police rank, Ashish Bhatia, as the state police chief who replaced incumbent DGP Shivanand Jha after his superannuation on Friday.</p>.<p>Bhatia, currently the commissioner of police, Ahmedabad city, is also the convener of the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) which probed nine major cases of 2002 post-Godhra riots.</p>.<div>Bhatia is the senior-most officer heading the SIT which probed Naroda Patiya, Naroda Gam, Gulberg Society, Ode, Sardarpura riot cases.</div>.<div>It also probed a complaint filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of ex-Congress MP Ahsan Jafri who was killed in Gulberg Society Massacre along with 68 others Muslims by a mob, alleging then chief minister Narendra Modi, now prime minister, among others of orchestrating the riots.</div>.<div>The SIT report found no evidence supporting her allegations and gave a clean chit to Modi and others. A magisterial court in Ahmedabad and Gujarat High Court has upheld the report which is under challenge in the apex court. </div>.<div>Bhatia, 58, is also known for supervising the 2008 serial bomb blast cases in Ahmedabad in which 57 persons were killed. Over the years, a total of 80 accused have been arrested in this case. </div>