Union home minister Amit Shah (ANI photo)
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday revealed why he left Gujarat for two years while the probe into the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case was under way.Shah said it was he who submitted in the court to leave the state, as Justice Aftab Alam, who was hearing the case, feared the BJP leader could tamper with the evidence, given his past influential position. Amit Shah was the home minister of the BJP-ruled Gujarat under then-chief minister Narendra Modi.Responding to ANI’s question on whether Justice Aftab Alam had visited his house to take his signature mandating his exile, Amit Shah said: “This never happened. Aftab Alam never came to my house, nor did such a need ever arise. On Sunday, he convened a special court to hear my bail application and observed that Amit Shah, who had served as home minister, could tamper with the evidence.”The Union home minister futher said: “Therefore, responding to that observation, my lawyer submitted that unless the bail application was decided, my client would stay outside Gujarat. That was my statement (about leaving Gujarat).”Pointing out the delay in the hearing of his bail application, Shah said: “I stayed outside Gujarat for two years because, in India’s history, no bail application was ever dragged for that long (2 years). The maximum a bail application had taken to be heard was 11 days.”Shah defended the government’s 130th Constitutional (Amendment) Bill by giving his example when he stepped down as the minister merely on the CBI‘s summons. He added that he did not hold any constitutional post until the case was fully quashed. “As I received the summons from CBI, I resigned the very next day. I was arrested later. The case went on, and the judgment also came that this was a case of political vendetta, and I am completely innocent. That judgment came later, I was granted bail earlier… Even then, I did not take oath and become the home minister again. Not only this, I did not take oath for any constitutional post until all the charges against me were completely quashed. What lessons on morality are the opposition teaching me?” Amit Shah said.In the interview, Shah also expressed confidence that the bill will be passed, despite the opposition’s fierce criticism. Shah said it’s aimed at upholding “constitutional morality” and public trust, emphasising that the bill would apply equally to all leaders, including those from the ruling party.The bill proposes the removal of lawmakers detained or arrested for more than 30 days in cases carrying a punishment of five years or more.Currently, the bill has been referred to a JPC for detailed scrutiny, comprising 31 members from both houses of Parliament. The committee will examine the bill and provide recommendations before it is put to vote.
