Under fire for his ministry’s affidavit in support of the Gujarat government in the alleged fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan and three others, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram slammed the state government for using central inputs to justify the killings.
“Certainly, no one suggested that based on an intelligence input you should kill someone,” Chidambaram, who is visiting the US, said in a statement released by his ministry.
“I think it is self evident that intelligence inputs are not evidence, much less conclusive proof. They are just inputs… If a state government acts as though intelligence inputs are evidence or conclusive proof, I am sorry for that government.
Chidambaram said “too much is being attributed to that affidavit,” which said intelligence inputs were shared with the Gujarat government.
“They are just inputs. They are shared with governments on a regular basis. That is not evidence or conclusive proof.”
Government officials said the Centre would take a final view on the matter once Chidambaram returns over the weekend.
Home and law ministries are likely to decide on whether to file a clarificatory affidavit in the Gujarat High Court withdrawing references to opposing a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged encounter, and endorsing the state police probe, or to file a new affidavit.
{{/usCountry}}Home and law ministries are likely to decide on whether to file a clarificatory affidavit in the Gujarat High Court withdrawing references to opposing a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged encounter, and endorsing the state police probe, or to file a new affidavit.
{{/usCountry}}The Centre has been on the defensive after the Gujarat government cited the home ministry’s affidavit in its defence after a magisterial probe report declared the 2004 killings of Ishrat and three others as staged. Responding to Chidambaram’s remarks, Gujarat government spokesman Jai Narayan Vyas said the Centre was getting “nervous” on the affidavit issue.
“The Centre for the last two or three days has gone so nervous that irrelevant statements are being made.”