The BJP today stood behind Gujarat minister of state for home Amit Shah, who resigned after being charged with murder in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, saying the "mischievous designs of the CBI" will be exposed in court.

"We have always had the highest regard for our judicial system and always cooperate with law, so there will be a legal fight in the court," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

He maintained that though Shah has resigned, the party was fully with him and will be raising its voice against "abuse of CBI for political purposes."

"He will fight against the mischievous designs of CBI in the court and the truth will be upheld," Javadekar said.

Shah, a close associate of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, resigned from the state ministry, a day after CBI charged him with murder in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

Congress says Shah's resignation has come too late

The Congress today said that the resignation of Gujarat junior home minister Amit Shah, an accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, has come too late in the day.

"Since he was involved, he should have resigned much earlier and now that the chargesheet has been filed, he has put in his papers. This has come too late in the day," Rajiv Shukla, AICC coordinator for Gujarat, said.

On the BJP's attack on the Congress and the centre for allege misuse of CBI in the case, he said the investigation has been ordered by none other than the Supreme Court.

Shah's resignation comes a day after CBI charged him with kidnapping and murder of alleged gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauser Bi in November 2005.

Nariman flays Guj Minister's decision not to appear before CBI

New Delhi: Top jurist Fali S Nariman today termed as "unfortunate" Gujarat junior Home Minister Amit Shah's decision not to appear before the CBI and said he should answer the charges levelled against him.

"It is unfortunate. He should appear before the CBI and answer their charges. If charges are not correct then he can protest later on but right now he has to answer the charges levelled by the investigating agency," Nariman said on the sidelines of a conference here.

Shah resigned from the state ministry after CBI charged him with murder in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

Shah had failed to appear before the CBI yesterday for questioning for the second time in two days following summons issued twice.

Criticising Shah's decision to "boycott" the investigating agency, Nariman said, "I do not approve the boycott. If somebody (investigating agency) calls you then you must go.