SC no to CBI inquiry into Gujarat fake encounter case

New Delhi, May 17 (UNI) The Supreme Court today rejected the demand for a CBI inquiry into the Gujarat fake encounter case in which Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly killed by the state Police in November 2005.

The ruling is seen as a major relief to the Narendra Modi government.

Sohrabuddin and Kausar Bi were allegedly pulled out of a Sangli-bound bus on November 25, 2005 and were subsequently killed by the Gujarat Police in an ''encounter.'' A Bench comprising Justices Tarun Chatterjee and P K Balasubramanyan found the investigation conducted by the state police so far ''highly satisfactory'' and directed that IG (CID) Gujarat Geeta Johri did not need to report to any senior officer. The apex court said it would monitor the progress being made in the investigation of the case.

The court was also told by the Gujarat Police that the investigation regarding the killing of sole eye-witness in the case Tulsiram Prajapati has been delinked from the investigation of the main case as the identity of the person who was killed was yet to be established. The state police had not been able to ascertain whether it was Prajapati who was killed one year later, the court added.

The court also directed the state police to submit its final report to the court on or before July 3, and adjourned the matter for July 16.

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