PTI

Ahmedabad, Feb 9: Valsad Deputy Superintendent of Police K G Erda,the first police officer to be arrested by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigating Team (SIT) in a 2002 Gujarat riots case, has been slapped with a murder charge besides dereliction of duty and evidence tampering offences.

Erda was produced before the Metropolitan Magistrate C B Patel at his residence on Monday morning and remanded in police custody till February 13 after the SIT sought his custody for detailed interrogation.

Erda, who was posted at Meghaninagar police station as an inspector during the post-Godhra riots, was arrested yesterday in connection with the gruesome mob attack on Gulbarg society that left 38 people dead including ex-Congress MP Ehsan Jafferi.

The SIT, which since March last is investigating afresh some worst post-Godhra riot cases, has under its scanner some key police officials posted in areas affected by communal clashes during post-Godhra 2002 riots.

Erda, who has been accused of dereliction of duty and tampering with evidence, has also been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which include 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder). He was recently interrogated by the SIT along with some other policemen posted in the riot affected areas.