Kamal Farooqi alleges Congress is shielding Ishrat Jahan case accused

Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Kamal Farooqi today accused the Congress of defending the Additional Director General of Police, P.P. Pandey and suspended Deputy Inspector General, D. G. Vanzara against whom the charge sheet was filed for murder and criminal conspiracy in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case.

Kamal Farooqui said here today that there is threat to Modi government itself because Pandey is being supported by the government. "He is on leave since May, on long medical leave. What kind of medical leave, what is he ailing from and what is his address? He has not given his address, which is a must as far as the government employees are concerned. Whenever they go for any leave they have to give their address where they could be contacted. It means the government is hiding Pandey," said Farooqi.

The fake encounter case has sparked controversy after the CBI filed a charge sheet which said that 19-year-old Ishrat Jahan, who was killed in 2004 along with three others, was not a militant and was innocent.

However, Adityanath Yogi, a lawmaker supporting Narendra Modi argured that the Congress was intentionally highlighting the matter to hide its failures and win over a vote bank for 2014 elections.

Yogi accused the Congress of attacking Modi's popularity. " To hides its failure the party is targeting Modi and is after him for the last 10 to 15 years. The statement of Vanzara could be considered a part of it," said Yogi in Gorakhpur .

Those against whom the chargesheet was filed for murder and criminal conspiracy include absconding Additional Director General of Police, P. P. Pandey and suspended Deputy Inspector General, D G Vanzara.

On the other hand, Sabir Ali, a lawmaker representing the Janata Dal United said Modi's name should also appear in the charge sheet.

Sabir Ali said that Modi's name should also be included in the charge sheet . Vanzara , who was at the senor post of Director General , was in direct contact with Modi. The phone records calls made by him 20 times in one day from the chief's office, said Ali.

The Metropolitan Judge in Ahmedabad had ruled in 2009 that Isharat Jahan's shootout was 'fake' and called for a fresh probe into the incident.

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