Home minister on the run,CBI on hot trail

Earlier inthe day,Shah’s lawyer requested a “written questionnaire” first. Modi had made a similar request when he was called for questioning by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT in connection with the 2002 communal riots. His request,like Shah’s,had been turned down.

While CBI SP Amitabh Thakur and DIG P Kandaswamy kept waiting for Shah in the agency’s Gandhinagar office,it was Shah’s lawyer Mitesh Amin who turned up instead.

“The summons were issued at very short notice. Time bahot kam hain,incident bahot purana hai (time is too short,the incident old),Amin told reporters before going into the CBI office. Amin claimed Shah wanted to appear before the CBI and co-operate with the interrogation,but would seek a written questionnaire first to “provide exact answers.” “Records at office and at his home need to be referred to,so that he can answer appropriately and truthfully. So we are seeking a written questionnaire,” he said.

Amin later emerged from the CBI office and said his request for a written questionnaire had been turned down and indicated that Shah would not be appearing before the agency.”We will file for anticipatory bail,” he said. The request was later turned down.

Meanwhile,enquiries at Shah’s official and family residences,his office and the state BJP office yielded no information over his whereabouts. CBI sources said Shah’s wife also claimed to have no idea where he was.

Since Thursday,policemen have been posted outside his official residence in Ministers’ Enclave in Gandhinagar. Aides too pleaded ignorance about his whereabouts. “Saheb was not here since yesterday,we have no idea where he is,” answered an aide on phone at his official residence. His family home in Naranpura neighbourhod in Shivkunj Society was locked. The response was the same at his office. Gujarat BJP general secretary Vijay Rupani said,“I have not spoken to Amit. I don’t have to speak to him. I have no idea where he is. We will fax the party statement.” CBI sources declined to be specify whether Shah was to be arrested but confirmed that teams have been sent out for him.