Incomprehensible why some Ishrat files are missing, says Chidambaram

“It is simply incomprehensible why some papers in the files are missing. Which are the papers that are missing? The letters written by the Home Secretary to the Attorney General, the draft affidavit sent to the AG, the vetted affidavit the AG sent to the home ministry and the final affidavit sent to the AG,” Chidambaram said here.

“The papers are missing. Who gains by losing these papers? It is only those who make accusations gain. These papers will completely vindicate what I have been saying. I want to place the entire file in the public domain, including the missing papers,” the Congress leader said.

He is facing BJP fire over his alleged role in drafting a second affidavit in Ishrat Jahan encounter killing case.

Chidambaram also recalled that the affidavit was filed after Ahmedabad Metropolitan Judge S P Tamang’s report, which in September 2009, declared the encounter fake.

“Now, the second affidavit is not really a second affidavit...it is a supplementary affidavit. Any lawyer would know that a further affidavit is a supplementary affidavit that is vetted by the highest law officer of the country,” he added.

Chidambaram, who filed nomination for the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra, said the second affidavit only has five to six paragraphs and it does not withdraw the first affidavit.

“The second para says why the further affidavit is being filed. The further affidavit was filed after Judge Tamang’s report, which indicted the police and said it was a fake encounter and the persons killed were in custody for at least more than two to three days,” he said.