Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi today alleged that "pick and choose" policy has been followed in the CBI probe against state Home Minister Amit Shah in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case and accused the Centre of using the agency as a political weapon.
He also maintained that the minister was "innocent" and a "law-abiding citizen".
"Shah is innocent. He has gone to the court and he will follow the court directive. This is my belief. He is a law-abiding citizen...Judiciary is above CBI," Modi, who had come here to participate in a meeting of the National Development Council, told reporters.
When it was pointed out that it was a Supreme Court monitored investigation, he said, "There are so many matters pending with the CBI. Why has Gujarat been prioritised. There is politics behind it."
"There has been more than 700 cases of encounter in the country. Out of these, several cases are pending before the National Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court. This is a case of pick and choose against Gujarat. CBI is being used as a political weapon to settle political scores," he claimed.
Modi also raised the issue of the delay in the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, asking when the Supreme Court had endorsed Guru's execution, why he was not hanged.
"The matter is still pending. Whenever Home Minister talks about Afzal Guru, there is always the talk of serial number," he said.
Modi ducked a query on the whereabouts of Shah, who is yet to appear before the CBI.
"When CBI had summoned state government officials, they were given eight to ten days' time but Amit Bhai was given only one hour. He should have been given more time. He was asked to come over only for talks but soon after, the CBI presented a 20,000 page chargesheet in the court," he said.
To a question on why there was delay in Shah's resignation, Modi said that the minister has not received the copy of the chargesheet as yet.
"We have not got the chargesheet of the copy officially but based on media reports, Shah has offered to resign. You should appreciate that," he said.
The Gujarat chief minister alleged that Congress is trying to take "revenge" after failing in 2007 assembly election in Gujarat in which it "tried to project Sohrabuddin as a hero. He (Sohrabuddiin) is the same person from whose house several AK-47 rifles and explosives were recovered."
"People who have failed to check price rise, have shown their back during Indo-Pak talks and can't find solution to Jammu and Kashmir issue are trying to change the agenda to divert attention. There is an atmosphere of war against the state," Modi said.
