Ahmedabad:
After the arrest of his close aide Amit Shah, will the CBI now seek to question Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi?
Shah is in jail on charges of murdering Sohrabuddin Sheikh, a young Muslim man, and his wife, Kauser. The couple was killed in November, 2005, allegedly by the senior-most officer of the Gujarat police. (Read: Sohrabuddin killed for money and politics: CBI chargesheet)
The CBI believes that these policemen were following Shah's orders. Sources also confirm that an internal report of the CBI refers to Modi. In a report submitted to court, where the CBI asked for permission to arrest Shah, the agency states, "refer again to annexure C for its potential in respect to the chief minister also". Annexure C allegedly contemplates whether Modi, as Chief Minister who also held the Home portfolio, was aware of Shah's attempts to influence the investigation into Sohrabuddin's murder, to cover his own role. (Read: Amit Shah not cooperating, says CBI)
The BJP says the entire case is aimed at undermining Modi and his government. Tarun Vijay, BJP spokesperson, said, "all these cases are a sham and nothing but a political revenge. Everyone knows Sohrabuddin was a dreaded terrorist and an anti-national person. The government is eyeing the Bihar, UP polls and using the CBI to intimidate the patriotic people of the country."
Shah, who was Modi's Minister of State for Home till last weekend, has completed the first of three rounds of interrogation by the CBI. His responses were declared unsatisfactory by the CBI on the grounds that Shah did not cooperate during interrogation and has denied any knowledge or involvement in the Sohrabuddin case. (Read: CBI asks Amit Shah 37 questions on Sohrabuddin)
Sources tell NDTV that the CBI wants to know if Modi was aware of decisions taken by Shah in the Sohrabuddin Case. As the Junior Home Minister, Shah had a direct line to the policemen who illegally abducted and then killed Sohrabuddin and Kauser. (Read: 25 calls between Amit Shah and NK Amin)
Initially, the case was handled by the Gujarat police's Criminal Investigations Department or CID. A team headed by Gita Johri, Inspector General, CID, was declared by the Supreme Court to be ineffective.
There were allegations that Johri and others were trying to protect senior policemen as well as politicians. The Supreme Court then asked the CBI to take over the case, and gave the agency six months to file a report. The CBI is expected to present that report today. It has also summoned Johri for questioning on August 10. Other police officers are also being interrogated. A former Director General of Police of Gujarat, PC Pandey, will be questioned on August 11.
Pandey was DGP when the state CID was investigating the fake encounter case and the CBI wants to find out whether Pandey tried to influence the investigation in any way.
The sources claim that the CBI is scrutinizing Modi's decision in 2007 to transfer a CID officer heading the Sohrabuddin probe after he allegedly refused to dilute charges against senior cops like DG Vanzara, who are now in prison for Sohrabuddin's death .
If Modi is summoned for questioning, it will be for the second time this year. He was earlier questioned by a Special Investigation Team in a Gujarat riots case.
Shah is in jail on charges of murdering Sohrabuddin Sheikh, a young Muslim man, and his wife, Kauser. The couple was killed in November, 2005, allegedly by the senior-most officer of the Gujarat police. (Read: Sohrabuddin killed for money and politics: CBI chargesheet)
The CBI believes that these policemen were following Shah's orders. Sources also confirm that an internal report of the CBI refers to Modi. In a report submitted to court, where the CBI asked for permission to arrest Shah, the agency states, "refer again to annexure C for its potential in respect to the chief minister also". Annexure C allegedly contemplates whether Modi, as Chief Minister who also held the Home portfolio, was aware of Shah's attempts to influence the investigation into Sohrabuddin's murder, to cover his own role. (Read: Amit Shah not cooperating, says CBI)
The BJP says the entire case is aimed at undermining Modi and his government. Tarun Vijay, BJP spokesperson, said, "all these cases are a sham and nothing but a political revenge. Everyone knows Sohrabuddin was a dreaded terrorist and an anti-national person. The government is eyeing the Bihar, UP polls and using the CBI to intimidate the patriotic people of the country."
Shah, who was Modi's Minister of State for Home till last weekend, has completed the first of three rounds of interrogation by the CBI. His responses were declared unsatisfactory by the CBI on the grounds that Shah did not cooperate during interrogation and has denied any knowledge or involvement in the Sohrabuddin case. (Read: CBI asks Amit Shah 37 questions on Sohrabuddin)
Sources tell NDTV that the CBI wants to know if Modi was aware of decisions taken by Shah in the Sohrabuddin Case. As the Junior Home Minister, Shah had a direct line to the policemen who illegally abducted and then killed Sohrabuddin and Kauser. (Read: 25 calls between Amit Shah and NK Amin)
Initially, the case was handled by the Gujarat police's Criminal Investigations Department or CID. A team headed by Gita Johri, Inspector General, CID, was declared by the Supreme Court to be ineffective.
There were allegations that Johri and others were trying to protect senior policemen as well as politicians. The Supreme Court then asked the CBI to take over the case, and gave the agency six months to file a report. The CBI is expected to present that report today. It has also summoned Johri for questioning on August 10. Other police officers are also being interrogated. A former Director General of Police of Gujarat, PC Pandey, will be questioned on August 11.
Pandey was DGP when the state CID was investigating the fake encounter case and the CBI wants to find out whether Pandey tried to influence the investigation in any way.
The sources claim that the CBI is scrutinizing Modi's decision in 2007 to transfer a CID officer heading the Sohrabuddin probe after he allegedly refused to dilute charges against senior cops like DG Vanzara, who are now in prison for Sohrabuddin's death .
If Modi is summoned for questioning, it will be for the second time this year. He was earlier questioned by a Special Investigation Team in a Gujarat riots case.
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