Spectre of fake encounter cases continue to haunt Modi, Shah

As Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and his closest ally and former minister of state Amit Shah continue to move up the political ladder, there could be impediments on the way with the spectre of fake encounter cases looming large over their political career.

While Modi’s deputy is already charged in the Sohrabudin encounter case, the Gujarat chief minister could perhaps find himself embroiled in more controversies when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) zeroes in on their alleged role in fake encounter cases of the Ishrat Jehan and Sadik Jamal. The CBI has already arrested senior police officers in the Sadik Jamal but is still to go beyond the uniformed people.

Though the CBI’s first charge sheet doesn’t not name any of them, it’s the supplementary charge sheet which is likely to be filed in the coming days that could perhaps give anxious moments to both. Modi has already been appointed the head of BJP’s campaign committee while his trusted lieutenant Shah has been made BJP general secretary and given charge of the politically important Uttar Pradesh.

Shah has the CBI breathing down his neck naming him in the Sohrabuin fake encounter case. As per the CBI, he allegedly had roped in the Gujarat police officers for eliminating Sohrabudin Shiekh for threatening the marble lobby in Rajasthan. His name also figures in the Tulsiram Prajapti encounter case, an alleged gangster who was allegedly killed since he was a witness to the Sohrabudin case. Even during the investigations into the Sohrabudin encounter case, the CBI was probing whether Modi, who held the home portfolio was in the know but the agency failed to make much headway.

Trouble could still loom large over the duo in the two other encounter cases. In the Ishrat Jahan case, the CBI charge sheet has claimed that it was a joint operation of the Intelligence Bureau and the Gujarat police. Though the agency is yet to charge sheet Rajendra Kumar, Special director, IB, very likely he could be named in the days to come. Kumar’s arrest could mean trouble for the duo. The CBI investigation is also hinting at role beyond the policemen even in the Sadik Jamal encounter case.

Damning testimony

The CBI probe has indicated that the two could have been in the know of the fake encounter. Call date records obtained by the agency had pointed out that the jailed IPS officer D G Vanzara had called the CM’s residence a day before the encounter and he had also exchanged several calls with Amit Shah before and after the encounter. The CBI also has a damning testimony of a former Inspector with the Crime branch, D H Goswami who had alleged that Vanzara had got a go ahead for the encounter from both the ‘black and white beard’, a reference, CBI says, to the CM and former MoS, Home.

Even as the BJP has alleged a political vendetta, the CBI is confronted by a stubborn IB which is peeved at its intelligence official being dragged into the encounter case. But if the CBI probes what it maintains could be a larger political conspiracy behind the encounter, it would spell political disaster for both Modi and Shah.

“The cops cannot act on their own; they do need a go ahead from their political heads,’’ alleges former Gujarat police chief R B Sreekumar, who has in the past taken on the Modi administration for its alleged dubious role in controlling the 2002 riots. So, what could be the political ramifications, if the CBI moves on to unravel the larger conspiracy. ``Huge ramifications. After all both the politicians now find themselves at the centre of BJP politics. For Modi, any hints at his involvement could well give the opposition a chance to pin him down. The BJP cannot afford a taint on Modi as he leads them into elections,’’ commented analyst Vishnu Pandya.

The fake encounters are making headlines on a regular basis and while the BJP is slugging it out to prove that those killed in the encounter are not innocent people, there are many who opine that it still does not give anyone the permission to kill others in cold blood. Activist and lawyer Mukul Sinha said, “There is a lot at stake not only for Modi and Shah but also the agencies. I am surprised that despite the investigations pointing toward the IB officers none have been named in the first charge sheet.”

Perhaps, even the Congress realises that if the CBI fails to come up with any concrete evidence against Modi and Shah, it could well provide the BJP an opportunity to politicise the issue and turn the tides in the favour, playing on the sentiments of the people. As it is, Modi has been consistently targeting the CBI calling it the Congress Bureau of investigation.

So while Shah might be promising the Ram Temple and Modi harping on the development agenda, analysts feel that these factors back home definitely are weighing heavily on the minds of both the leaders, especially Shah. And though the leaders are aware that the party is rallying behind them on these issues and trying to demean the investigations of the CBI -  if named and their roles proved -then the BJP will definitely have to do a lot of rethinking.