SC adjourns Sohrabuddin fake encounter case hearing

New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) The Supreme Court today adjourned the hearing of Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.

Justice P K Balasubramanyan is retiring on August 27 and he said that he could not hear the matter and new bench will have to be constituted.

The presiding judge of the bench is Justice Tarun Chatterjee.

The apex court is hearing a petition filed by Rubabuddin Sheikh seeking a CBI enquiry into the killing of his brother Sohrabuddin and his wife Kauser Bi in a fake encounter in November 2005 by Gujarat police .

Seven persons including 3 senior IPS officers have already been chargesheeted in the case. Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium who was appearing as amicus curiae had pointed to a number of loopholes in the investigation by the state police to ensure the acquittal of all the accused persons as the chargesheet has not given any motive for the killing .

Sohrabuddin was branded as LeT militant involved in a conspiracy to eliminate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to settle scores for 2002 communal riots in the state which rocked the state following Godhra train burning incident in which more than 50 kar sevaks were burnt alive.

The court was expected to pass an order whether further investigation in the case by an independent agency like CBI is required. Gujarat government has been strongly opposing the plea for CBI enquiry into the case.

UNI