PC attacks BJP on Sohrab case
Union home minister P. Chidambaram lashed out at the BJP in the alleged Sohrabuddin fake encounter case stating that the decision to transfer the probe from the Gujarat CID to the CBI was taken by the Supreme Court.
He further said that the BJP’s contention that it was not a fake encounter “is a most outrageous attack on the judiciary of the country and the premier investigative agency of the country.”
He didn’t spare the saffron party on the issue of the killing of Maoist leader Azad either during an encounter in Andhra Pradesh last month. The party which had demanded a CBI probe into Azad’s killing in the Lok Sabha found itself in line of fire on this issue as well.
Mr Chidambaram told the BJP benches in particular, “Raise it in the AP House. Ask for an inquiry. Get an inquiry done.” He further said, “How can I order an inquiry?” Taking a dig at the Opposition, he further asked, “ Under what law do I order an inquiry for something in Andhra Pradesh?” noting that law and order is a state subject.
The home minister was responding to a debate on the Bhopal gas tragedy in the LS on Wednesday evening but chose to digress and speak on the Azad killing as well as the Sohrabuddin encounter case.
It was Leader of the Opposition, Sushma Swaraj who had raised the Sohrabuddin encounter case earlier in the day while initiating the debate on the Bhopal gas tragedy. In response Mr chidambaram later said, “the Leader of the Oppsition brought it up... I’m obliged to answer.”
Detailing the Sohrabuddin case, the home minister said that the case which was originally investigated by the Gujarat police was then transferred to the state CID with whom the case remained between 2006 and 2009.
During this period, Mr Chidambaram said that the Gujarat CID and police arrested 14 persons for the alleged fake encounter.
He asked then how it could be argued now that Sohrabuddin was not killed in a fake encounter while noting also that it was the Guajrat police itself which had admitted the encounter. Further, the home minister also said that it was the Supreme Court that had ordered on January 16 this year that the case be transferred to the CBI and this wasn’t done at the instance of the Centre.
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