No threat from BJP, CBI added Shah’s name to my statement: Sohrabuddin’s brother
Mumbai : The youngest brother of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, Nayamuddin, claimed before a special CBI court on Monday that the CBI, on its own, added to his statement recorded in 2010 by a CBI official, the names of Gujarat police officer Abhay Chudasama and BJP president Amit Shah.
Nayamuddin, who was to appear as the first prosecution witness in the case on November 29, 2017, came before the court after multiple summons and a non-bailable warrant were issued against him. He also orally requested the court to take an FIR against the CBI and against witnesses who have turned hostile in the case. He claimed that the CBI had “spoilt” the case.
After his deposition narrating the sequence of events in November 2005, when his brother was allegedly killed in a fake encounter, Nayamuddin’s examination-in-chief was declared to be over by special public prosecutor, BP Raju.
Nayamuddin, however, said there was more in his statement which he wanted to talk about. “I have no threat from the BJP. I have never heard Azam Khan’s name. An investigating officer of the CBI, Dagar sahab, came to my village in an autorickshaw to inquire about this case. I have not said before him that Azam (Sohrabuddin’s associate and co-accused in Hamid Lala murder case) met me and said that Abhay Chudasama offered Rs 50 lakh to withdraw a petition filed in Supreme Court to inquire into the death of my brother,” Nayamuddin told the court. He also said that he had given a handwritten affidavit before the special court in Ahmedabad clarifying that he had never said the things attributed to him in his 2010 statement.
According to the chargesheet filed by the CBI, Nayamuddin had given a statement on February 19, 2010, recorded by officer DS Dagar, a deputy superintendent of police, CBI. The statement claims that Chudasama, discharged from the case in 2015, had called Nayamuddin and threatened him.
“When I told him (Chudasama) that we will not withdraw the petition at any cost, he threatened me with dire consequences and said that I would also face the same fate as Sohrabuddin. You do not know Amitbhai is very angry. I will speak to Amitbhai and he can get it done in Madhya Pradesh only. It is Amitbhai’s government there and you will be killed for making him a party in the petition,” Nayamuddin’s statement cited in the CBI’s chargesheeet stated.
Nayamuddin on Monday said that this part was added by the CBI on its own.
courtesy : indianexpress.com
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
