New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed
CBI for describing anonymous letters against former Gujarat
Home Minister Amit Shah, an accused in Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake
encounter killing case, as complaints about his alleged
involvement in extortion racket saying it smacks of
"inefficiency" and amounts to "insinuation".
"This is clearly an insinuation which is wholly
unwarranted and totally unfair", a bench comprising justices
Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai said.
"You (CBI) told us on these complaints no action has been
taken (by the state government). No action can be taken on
these letters. The complaints appear to be absolute trash" the
bench, which perused 200 such complaints made available to it
by CBI against Shah, said.
"You (CBI) are supposed to be our finest investigators.
Now you have to respond to all these lapses and
ineffeciencies", the bench said during the hearing of
the plea by CBI seeking cancellation of the bail granted to
Shah by the Gujarat High Court in the fake encounter killing
case.
During the hearing, Shah alleged he was a victim of a
political conspiracy and that he has been falsely implicated
by CBI in Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter killing case.
The agency had placed before the court two reports in
sealed covers accusing Shah to be the kingpin of an extortion
racket which allegedly led to Sohrabuddin’s killing.
CBI had claimed it has annexed 200 complaints on which
the Gujarat government failed to act.
Advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Shah, pointed out
that there were only three complaints which addressed Shah and
the rest were anonymous letters or suggestions having no
connection with the complaints of extortion.
"He (Shah) is a victim of political conspiracy to which
CBI is a party," Jethmalani submitted.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 22:35