Recently retired Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit today said he had appeared for Home Minister Amit Shah in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, but it was "inconsequential" as he was never the lead counsel. Responding to a question by NDTV, he said, "It is true that I appeared for Amit Shah, but it was inconsequential as the lead counsel was Mr Ram Jethmalani." Justice Lalit also pointed out that the government changed in May 2014, while he was asked for the first time to represent Mr Shah in April while the earlier regime was still in power. "The process started way before the regime changed," he said.