Modi aide Amit Shah quits, but remains untraceable

New Delhi: Gujarat Minister of State for Home and one of Narendra Modi's closest confidante, Amit Shah, has decided to quit but still remains elusive.

Modi announced his resignation to reporters on Saturday. "Amit Shah has sent in his resignation to my bungalow and I have accepted his resignation," he said. (Read: Gujarat minister Amit Shah resigns, Modi says Shah is not guilty)

The Gujarat Chief Minister has forwarded his resignation to the Governor but it's still unclear where Shah is. However, one thing is clear - the CBI is on the lookout for Shah and it's just a matter of time before he is questioned. (Read: Who is Amit Shah?)

Meanwhile, in Delhi, the BJP top brass is meeting on Sunday ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session on Monday. The meeting will take place at L K Advani's house where the leaders will work out a strategy to address the Amit Shah controversy.

Shah's resignation comes a day after CBI charged him with kidnapping and murder of alleged gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauser Bi in November 2005. (Read: Who is Sohrabuddin Sheikh)

The Gujarat Chief Minister, however, insists Shah is innocent. (Watch: Allegations against Amit Shah politically motivated: Modi)

"Shah is completely innocent and the charges against him are fabricated. The CBI is being misused by the Congress against its political rival. During the 2007 elections, our opponents had made a hero out of Sohrabuddin," Modi said on Saturday. (Watch: Govt shamelessly misusing CBI, says Jaitley) | (Read: Chidambaram slams BJP for questioning CBI probe)

He may have resigned, but Shah hasn't decided to show up yet. Despite the summons by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the chargesheet, there's still no sign of him.

Sources tell NDTV that in the chargesheet filed by the CBI, the agency has said Sohrabudin was killed as he was becoming a nuisance for the marble manufacturing lobby in Rajasthan.

The chargesheet also states that during October and November 2004, Sohrabudin had threatened owners of R M Marbles and Sangam Textiles in an attempt to extort money.

However, the two traders who were quite well connected approached political leaders as well as police officers of Rajasthan for Sohrabuddin's elimination.

This is perhaps what makes the BJP uncomfortable - the chargesheet hints at links between Amit Shah and the marble lobby which wanted Sohrabudin eliminated.

Sources also tell NDTV that Shah, along with two other accused, tried to hamper the probe and threaten witnesses.

Shah directed Ajay Patel and Yashpal Chudasama, his close confidants and accused, to "convince, coerce, threaten and influence witnesses on his behalf to conceal the truth from CBI about the fake encounter of Sohrabuddin", they add.

For now, Amit Shah remains elusive. But his options seem to be running out. The BJP leader is expected to approach the High Court for relief. (Read: Will Amit Shah be arrested?)

For the CBI, if its hunt continues to draw a blank, the next step is to get the court to declare Shah an absconder - something which is sure to embarrass the BJP further.

What the CBI wants to ask Amit Shah

The CBI has refused to give Amit Shah's lawyer the questions it wants to put to the minister. However, CBI sources told NDTV that the questioning will revolve around these lines: