Modi aide skips CBI summons

The Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi’s closest aide, state minister for home, Mr Amit Shah, failed to present himself before the CBI for questioning.

He, however, issued an emotional statement saying he would present himself and clear suspicions about his role in the controversial Sohrabuddin fake encounter case. CBI investigating officer Amitabh Thakur had summoned Mr Amit Shah at 1 pm Thursday.

A second summons was issued Thursday evening. Mr Shah responded through a press statement saying he was loyal to the Constitution and would appear before the CBI on Friday.

“A second summons has been issued to me for tomorrow. I will make myself available and answer all questions,” Mr Shah said in a statement from an undisclosed location. He said it was important for him to explain to the people of Gujarat how this was now becoming a “political encounter” because of the “power-hungry UPA government”.

Amit Shah, a senior BJP leader, was minister of state for home affairs when the encounter took place. The CBI had the option of considering declaring Mr Shah an absconder and arresting him if he ignored the summons. Mr Shah said he had no role in the encounter and that his name in his capacity as MoS, home, has “not come on record anywhere”, but the CBI was still working overtime to nail him. He said he was away from the Gujarat capital on “personal work” when the CBI sent the summons to his home.