Modi's questioning ends at 1 am, 68 questions asked

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader, who faces allegations of omission and commission with regard to the mob attack on a housing society in which former Congress member of Parliament Ehsan Jafri and 68 others were killed, drove to the SIT office in the heart of Gandhinagar where he was questioned by a team of officers headed by A K Malhotra, a former deputy inspector general with the Central Bureau of Investigation.

After a marathon session lasting over five hours from 12 noon to 5 pm, Modi left the SIT office telling reporters that he would come back in the evening.

Modi, 59, returned to the SIT office at 9 pm and faced a second round of questioning for four hours, ending at 1 am on Sunday, because he was keen that the entire exercise be completed.

Emerging from the second round of quizzing at the SIT office at the old secretariat building, the chief minister told media-persons that the investigators told him that his questioning was over.

"I have been told by SIT that your work is over," Modi said.

Though there was no official word on his questioning, Modi is said to have replied to 62 of the 68 questions put to him in the first session.

This was the first time that Modi was probed since the carnage eight years back.

"This was the first time in eight years that someone wanted to speak to me on the issue and I attended that," Modi said.

Taking a dig at his critics, he said, "God give good sense to those who said I have not spoken for eight years."

"I hope Saturday's incident will give good sense to those who are keen to spread misinformation and those who spread lies," the chief minister said.

Modi claimed he had answered all questions put by the SIT and that he  recalled to the extent possible the sequence of events that had taken place eight years ago.

The chief minister said his statement was recorded by the SIT investigators after which he signed it.

Asked what sort of questions he was asked, Modi said, "I cannot share that with you because the SIT has to submit its report to the Supreme Court."

When pointed out that he had been in the dock for the last eight years over the riots, a smilig Modi said, "You have still kept me in the dock."

"Vistaar se batcheet ki (we spoke in detail)," he said adding, "Under the Indian Constitution, the law is supreme. As a common man, CM, I am bound by the Indian Constitution and law. No one can be above the law."

After the first round of questioning, a smiling Modi had emerged from the SIT office and told media-persons, "I am taking a break from questioning."

Modi became the first chief minister of any state to be questioned in a criminal complaint of mass murder after he and his  administration were accused of aiding and abetting riots in one area in Ahmedabad.

Ending the suspense as to where and when he would appear after he was summoned  for questioning in connection with a complaint of Zakia Jafry, widow of Eshan Jafry, Modi reached the SIT office at around noon.

The complaint filed by Zakia among other things alleged there was a wider conspiracy by Modi and his administration and that he had instructed officers not to take action.

Asked if the questions put to him related to the Gulbarg Society riot case, Modi said, "Questions ranged from February 27 till the elections."

To a question about the number of questions asked, he said, "I have not counted them."

Asked if he was satisfied with the SIT investigations, Modi said, "The Supreme Court has to be satisfied."