Gujarat police to seek more time in Sohrabuddin case

New Delhi, May 14 (UNI) The Gujarat police is going to seek more time to complete investigations in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case from the Supreme Court tomorrow.

The Gujarat police was directed by the Supreme Court to complete investigations into the alleged murder of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kausar bi in a fake encounter in November 2005 when the couple was in a bus going from Hyderabad to Sangli, and to file the final report within two weeks.

The Gujarat police today filed a status report alleging that police from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh were not cooperating and therefore, more time was needed to complete the investigation.

In its status report, the Gujarat police reportedly stated that one of the witnesses has confessed the factom of the fake encounter in a statement, recorded by the Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC, which is admissible as evidence during the trial and also records of telephonic conversation between three IPS officers arrested so far and others involved in the crime are also being examined in detail.

Statements of over 130 witnesses have so far been recorded and the possiblity of more arrests in the case cannot be ruled out. So far, seven people have been arrested in the case.

The Narendra Modi Government is firmly opposing a CBI enquiry in the case while UPA government at the Centre is keenly interested, as is also being demanded by the petitioner Rubabuddin Sheikh.

According to the status report, the Gujarat police has contended that there was no need for a CBI enquiry as the state CID was doing a commendable job. Chances of the Supreme Court ordering a CBI enquiry tomorrow seem remote as the court may not like to interfere with the ongoing investigation in the fake encounter which has shocked the nation.

Sohrabuddin, who was involved in over 50 criminal cases including one under TADA was branded as a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant by the then DIG, Anti Terrorist Squad(ATS) Gujarat G D Vanzara who along with the then SP ATS Raj Kumar Pandyan and the then SP Alwar, Rajasthan M N Dinesh are in jail. Senior IPS officer from Andhra Pradesh is also under the scanner.

On the issue of transfer of IG (CID Gujarat) Gita Johri from the investigating team, the Gujarat police has explained that in Gujarat, an officer who conducts a preliminary enquiry does not investigate the case and the investigation is handed over to some other officer.

Ms Johri has been brought back as head of the investigating team and DIG Rajnish Rai has been transferred. The petitioner in his application filed in the Supreme Court has however, sought directions from the court to bring back Mr Rai who has arrested three senior IPS officers.

The bench comprising Justices Tarun Chatterjee and P K Balasubramanyan is going to hear the case tomorrow.

UNI