Shah joins other accused in Sabarmati jail

AHMEDABAD - Gujarat’s former minister Amit Shah Sunday joined the other accused in the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh killing at the historic Sabarmati Jail here, where Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak were imprisoned during the freedom struggle.

Shah, sent to 14 days judical custody, has been lodged in the Sardar barracks, named after Sardar Patel, who was once confined there. The former minister of state for home has been permitted home-cooked food.

The other 15 accused in the case, including Deputy Inspector General of Police D.G.Vanzara and and Superintendents of Police Rajkumar Pandian and M.N. Dinesh, are lodged in a barrack adjoining the Sardar barracks.

Strict instructions have been given to the jail authorities to keep them segregated from Shah.

Shah, who made a dramatic appearance before the media at a press conference of the state BJP chief here before leaving for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) camp office in Gandhinagar to surrender, was given a ceremonial send off from the party office with an ‘arti’ and vermillion applied to his forehead.

As Shah, accompanied by BJP leaders, reached the CBI office, DIG P. Kandaswamy came racing outside, informed Shah of his arrest and requested him to accompany him. The former minister was whisked away to the residence of CBI judge A.Y. Dave, who sent him to judicial custody as the CBI did not seek his remand.