The BJP on Thursday alleged that the former Gujarat Director General of Police, R.B. Sreekumar, had levelled fake encounter charges against the Narendra Modi government in a quid pro quo for the UPA government exonerating him in the ISRO spy case.
At a press conference, party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said Mr. Sreekumar was in touch with Teesta Setalvad and that this was a primary reason for the way the case played out. Ms. Lekhi played the recording of a telephone conversation that she claimed was between Rais Khan, an aide of Ms. Setalvad, and Mr. Sreekumar. In the recording a person, said to be Mr. Khan, is heard saying: “Teesta helped me when charge sheet [on fake encounters] was given to me.”
Claiming that there was a conspiracy behind the former DGP’s allegations, Ms. Lekhi charged: “As a part of the quid pro quo, he was expected to launch a tirade full of lies and untruths against the BJP government in Gujarat for political reasons. Apparently, Sreekumar honoured his part of the deal with his political suitors and he continues to do the same even today.”
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The BJP also alleged that the former Gujarat DGP masterminded “the conspiracy to brand a patriotic scientist, Nambi Narayanan, a traitor and fabricated a case against him. Despite his heinous crimes affecting [the] nation’s interest, most of the charges against him were dropped against him by UPA government.”
While recalling the history of the case, which started in 1994, the BJP spokesperson said: “Interestingly, by 2004 it was clear that ISRO spy case was fabricated at the behest of individuals and inimical to the success of ISRO and India. Another thing was the man who was single-handedly responsible for the fabrication of this case was none other than Sreekumar.”