Patna, Feb. 18: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today gave a clean chit to a state politician in connection with the abduction of a Surat-based industrialist’s son Sohail Hingora.

On the floor of the Assembly, Nitish rebutted Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav’s allegation that a CID report mentioned about the involvement of a ruling party legislator in the Hingora case.

Expressing surprise over Nitish’s statement, Hanif Hingora, the father of victim Sohail, demanded a CBI probe to unravel the truth. “I am shocked to learn that the Bihar chief minister has denied the role of any politician in the kidnapping of my son, who was released against a huge ransom to Bihar-based kidnappers,” Hanif told The Telegraph over phone from Gujarat after Nitish’s statement in the House.

Nitish dared Nand Kishore to either prove what he has stated on the floor of the House or tender apology for reading out the so-called CID report. He tabled a CID report asserting that no politician from any political party had been involved in the abduction of the industrialist’s son. He said a few suspects had already been arrested in the case.

Hanif, who allegedly paid Rs 9 crore for the safe release of his 22-year-old businessman son, said he would fight tooth and nail to bring the culprits to book. “How can Nitish give clean chit to the politician in question when the mastermind in the case has not yet been arrested?”

Hanif didn’t miss the opportunity to take a dig at the style of functioning of the Bihar police officials, who have been assigned to probe the links of the inter-state gang of kidnappers. “I am taken aback to know that even two months after the CDs and other evidence were provided to the Bihar police team during the latter’s visit to my house, the ringleader is still at large,” he said.

Hingora claimed that the name, address and photograph of the kingpin of the gang had already been provided to the police officers concerned. “Yet, they have not been able to pin him down. Sixteen persons came to Daman from Bihar to kidnap my son. However, only four suspects have been arrested so far,” he added.

He revealed that he had furnished the list of the seven persons, who used to keep watch on Sohail during captivity. “Only the kingpin of the gang can reveal about the involvement of the politician in question, who played a crucial role in striking the deal for the payment of ransom,” he said, adding that the role of the people behind the scene be exposed.

Hanif was also shocked over the reluctance of Nitish, who didn’t bother to reply his letter. “Neither the chief minister nor any police official ever talked to me on the issue. At times, I call up the police officers who came to interrogate Sohail almost a month after his release,” he said.

He had pinned hopes on Nitish to do something to nail the kidnappers. “But the way the police investigation is being conducted, I have doubts that the real culprits would ever be put behind the bars,” he said.