Javadekar accuses Congress of hatching 'conspiracy' in Ishrat

Union minister Prakash Javadekar today accused Congress of hatching a "conspiracy" in Ishrat Jahan and Malegaon blast cases, a day after NIA Chief Sharad Kumar said there was no evidence linking arrested Army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit with the Samjhauta blast case.
"The revelation that the NIA has made is very important. The manner in which this whole situation is now emerging, facts which have come out in the NIA investigation about Ishrat Jahan are very surprising.
"This is a clear example of where things can lead you if you use investigative agency under some conspiracy, if you use agencies only for political reasons," he said attacking Congress without naming it.

Javadekar was responding to a question about statements by the NIA in Malegaon and Samjhauta cases as well as alleged different stands taken by Home Minister P Chidambaram during UPA regime on Ishrat Jahan case.
Ishrat was killed in an encounter by Gujarat Police in 2004. A court-monitored CBI probe had found the encounter to be fake and a major row erupted after the UPA government filed in September 2009 a second affidavit which, unlike the first, did not make any reference to her suspected LeT links.
Firing a fresh salvo at Sonia Gandhi over the Ishrat Jahan issue, BJP yesterday suggested that the Congress chief had asked the then Home Minister P Chidambaram to file a second affidavit in the case as UPA could "tolerate terrorists but not Narendra Modi as Prime Minister".

Amid questions having been raised in certain quarters over steps being taken by NIA in allegedly diluting right-wing terror cases, the government today asserted it has not put any pressure on the agency.

National Investigation Agency is probing some right-wing terror cases including Samjhauta Express and Malegaon blast cases.
"There is no pressure from the government on NIA. All required procedures will be followed in sensitive cases," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters here.
Rijiju's comments came a day after NIA chief Sharad Kumar said there was no evidence linking Purohit, who was chargesheeted in Malegaon 2008 terror case, with the Samjhauta blast case.