Gujarat encounter cop N K Amin, one of the accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case of 2005 and lodged in Sabarmati Jail, has written to police, alleging he was attacked and threatened with death by co-accused Raj Kumar Pandian, former Superintendent of Police with the Gujarat ATS, for seeking the return of “documents” they needed to defend themselves in the case.

In a letter to the Ahmedabad City Police Commissioner — dated July 28, it runs into four sheets and was sent out through a “contact” — Amin, who was an ACP in the ATS, has complained about Pandian and D G Vanzara, his former chief and DIG who is also in the same jail, saying they have been harassing him and other inmates and boasting of connections in the government. He has asked the police chief to treat the letter as a formal complaint.

Police Commissioner S Saikia confirmed to The Indian Express on Thursday that Amin’s letter did reach him and Ahmedabad Joint Police Commissioner Mohan Jha was investigating it. Jha, on his part, declined comment: “This is one issue in which I have nothing to say at all.” Keshav Kumar, IG (Prison) in charge of Sabarmati Jail, was not available for comment.

Amin, Pandian and Vanzara are all lodged in adjoining cells in the Sardar Yard of the prison. All three figure in several cases of encounter killings. Last month, Amin was also charged with the 2000 custodial killing of a retired Colonel, a 1971 war veteran, who was leading an agitation by villagers.

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