SC notice to Guj Govt, Shah for transfer of Sohrabuddin case

New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) The Supreme Court today soughtGujarat government''s response on the CBI''s plea to transferoutside the state the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter caseon the ground that even the judge hearing it had become"servile" to former state Home Minister Amit Shah, a keyaccused.

Besides, the state government, the apex court alsoissued notices to Shah and 18 others including suspended IPSofficers-D G Vanzara (DIG), Rajkumar Pandiyan (SP), both fromGujarat cadre, and M N Dinesh (SP) from Rajasthan cadre.

The CBI alleged in its application that "there wasopen servility and excessive demonstration of favourable andpartisan attitude to Shri Amit Shah by the learned AdditionalChief Judicial Magistrate.

"He was granted exemption from appearance even withoutgiving a hearing to the CBI," the agency claimed.

The CBI alleged that it received more than 200complaints of extortion, threats and other serious offencescommitted by the accused politician and police officers.

"The atmosphere in Gujarat is quite vitiated anddemoralising for the witnesses as well as the investigatingofficers.

"Hence, it has urged the apex court to transfer thecase from the court of the Additional Chief MM, CBI, Mirzapur,Ahmedabad to the court concerned at Mumbai or any otherstate," the CBI said.

A bench of justices Aftab Alam and R M Lodha issuedthe notices after the CBI''s senior counsel K T S Tulsimentioned the application before the bench which later postedthe matter for further hearing to January 27.(More) PTI RB