The Union home ministry and the CBI have apparently come to loggerheads over the investigating agency’s demand to examine NIA officials in the controversial Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case. The MHA has decided not to allow the examination of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) team by the CBI in the fake encounter case. The CBI had written to the MHA that it wanted to question the NIA team which had recorded the statement of 26/11 suspect and LeT terrorist David Coleman Headley in the United States in the year 2010.
According to the CBI, it wants to get a clear picture on the issue of whether Headley had told the NIA sleuths in his statement that Ishrat was a LeT fidayeen. There has been mounting controversy about the facts of the case and whether Headley had mentioned Ishrat in his confessions to the NIA team or not.
The MHA’s refusal to the CBI to examine the NIA team has got the backing of the Union law ministry. Sources said while the home ministry had been averse to allowing the CBI question the NIA officials in the case, it had sought the opinion of the law ministry on the matter.
In its opinion, the ministry of law and justice has also sided with the MHA rejecting the CBI’s request for the questioning of the NIA officials.
The MHA will now convey its disapproval of the CBI’s request to the investigating agency.