IPS officer who probed Sohrabuddin Sheik encounter case suspended

New Delhi, Dec 21: An IPS officer who was the first investigator in the high profile Sohrabuddin, Tulsiram Prajapati encounter case has been suspended by the Ministry for Home Affairs.

Rajnish Rai, a 1992 batch IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre was serving on central deputation heading the Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terrorism (CIAT) School of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.

He had sought voluntary retirement in August and had also written to the MHA that he may be considered deemed to have resigned from service. The plea was however rejected.

He had stopped attending office after applying for VRS. The MHA went ahead with the suspension on the ground of his absence from the place of posting.

The MHA in its order said that disciplinary proceedings is contemplated against Mr Rai in connection with his unauthorised handing over the charge of the IG and Principal, CIAT School, CRPF, Chittoor and abdication of office on 30.11.2018. He will not leave Chittoor without the permission of the DG CRPF till the time he is under suspension, the order further stated.

Rai however protested the order and wrote, " the order of suspension by MHA, GOI is absolutely illegal and unconstitutional as I have retired from services as of operations of law and rules after office hours on 30.11.2018.

In 2007, as the DIG in the CID (Crime) in Gujarat, Rai had arrested three IPS officers, D G Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh M N in connection with the encounter case. The case was subsequently handed over to the CBI on the directions of the Supreme Court.

The trial was also shifted from Gujarat to Maharashtra. The Special CBI court will deliver its verdict in the encounter case today.