Will appoint judge in snoopgate before May 16: Sibal

Rubbishing Arun Jaitley’s claims that no judge will lend himself to the ‘political and malafide’ exercise targeting Narendra Modi in the snoopgate row, Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said that a judge would be named before May 16 to investigate the case.

Sibal also said that Modi against whom accusations have been made in the controversy will be investigated. “You will get a snoopgate judge before May 16. I don’t know why these people are so worried? Why are leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party worried and why are they making public statements that no judge should join this commission?” he asked.

The Congress leader said the BJP was worried as its leaders know the fact that ‘once the commission is set up there is no saving for Modi’. “Because there is documentary evidence of what he (Modi) has done and how he has snooped on the activities of a young girl,” he said, adding, “They are worried about the national commission set up by the Centre and I think, they should continue to be worried because the commission will be set up and he will be investigated and will be brought to book.”

The minister also questioned the Gujarat government-appointed snoopgate probe panel, saying, “It will never move forward as it was appointed by the chief minister who is sought to be prosecuted.  It will never move forward, just like the Nanavati Commission. Twelve years have passed. We have not got any report. This is really the track record of the Gujarat government. So we don’t expect anything from the state government,” he said.

Sibal’s statement comes a day after Jaitley had said that all the judges approached by the United Progressive Alliance have refused to be part of the desperate exercise as the new government will be in place in a fortnight.