In a major set back to the Gujarat Government, District Session Court in Ahmedabad today granted bail to the suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt.

District Sessions Judge VK Vyas pronounced his order after hearing the arguments of special public prosecutor SV Raju and Bhatt's advocate IH Syed.

AIR Ahmedabad Correspondent reports that Sanjiv Bhatt has been released after 18 days in judicial custody. He was arrested on 30th September in connection with FIR filed by a police constable K.D.Pant.

In his FIR, Pant alleged that he was abducted and forced to sign a false affidavit in connection with Gujarat riots.

Earlier, Bhatt had filed an affidavit in Supreme Court alleging complicity by Chief Minister Narendra Modi during post-Godhra riots. Later, he was charge sheeted by the state Government and suspended for alleged unauthorized absence from duty.