Cop turns,conspiracy widens

Shah,who was arrested Sunday after remaining elusive for four days,will be questioned by the CBI inside Sabarmati Jail between July 28 and July 30. A special CBI court passed an order to this effect,agreeing to the CBI request to videograph the questioning of Shah a precaution against possible future allegations.

Shah also moved court for bail. Sent to judicial custody until August 7,he will remain behind bars since the bail hearing will come up only on August 2.

Leading lawyer Ram Jethmalani,who appeared for Shah,said his client was being victimised by the Central government. The case against Shah,Jethmalani argued,was nothing but a political game by the Congress to tarnish the image of the Gujarat government.

In his bail application,Shah alleged that since the Congress failed to defeat him and his party in the polls,it was using the CBI to frame him in the case.

He claimed that since he had taken over a number of institutions from the control of the Congress like the Gujarat Cricket Association,Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank and Gujarat State Cooperative Bank through democratic means,the Congress had framed him. He also accused the CBI of making selective leaks to the media to tarnish not only his image but also that of the BJP in the state.