BJP says CBI reached ‘lowest benchmark’

In the wake of CBI summoning Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah in the Sohrabuddin encounter case, BJP on Thursday said the investigating agency had reached the “lowest benchmark” after indulging in “selective leaks” in the media about the probe. “The entire matter has been investigated by the Gujarat Special Investigation Team and the Supreme Court appointed SIT headed by RK Raghavan but Amit Shah’s name did not come up. Now the CBI, after selective leaks in the media, has summoned him,” BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

He maintained that the BJP wanted a fair investigation into the matter and the authorities had the right to decide what legal course should be taken.

Shah has been summoned by CBI in the Sohrabuddin encounter case and is expected to depose tomorrow. A case was built against him reportedly on the basis of phone calls made by him to a police officer who was part of the encounter team.

Prasad accused the CBI of becoming a tool in the hands of the Congress-led UPA government, which was “manipulating the investigating agency to serve its ends”.

“It has reached the lowest benchmark,” Prasad alleged.

The CBI has a “very sad record”, he said, adding that this was visible in the manner in which cases against RJD Chief Lalu Prasad and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati were handled keeping in mind the “political expediency” of the ruling party.

He also mentioned the case of Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrochi alleging that he was allowed to “flee out of India”.