The Ahmedabad Sessions Court today adjourned hearing on the anticipatory bail petition filed by three Rajasthan policemen, allegedly involved in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter, till May 30. This was after the CID (Crime), which is investigating the case, filed an affidavit in court against granting of anticipatory bail to the policemen stating it had “crucial evidence” regarding their role in Sohrabuddin’s “encounter”. With the defence seeking time to reply to the affidavit, the court adjourned the hearing for the day.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Ahmedabad had on Monday issued arrest warrants against five police officials, including the three Rajasthan policemen — inspectors Abdul Rehman, Shyam Singh and Himanshu Singh. The warrants were issued after CID moved an application before court stating that none had replied to its summons. According to the prosecution, the policemen were trying to evade arrest.

The Rajasthan policemen had filed anticipatory bail petitions earlier, which came up for hearing today. However, in response to their petitions, the CID filed an affidavit before the Sessions Court, alleging that the policemen had colluded with Gujarat ATS in Sohrabuddin “encounter” and had full knowledge of the conspiracy.

According to the affidavit, the Rajasthan policemen along with the Gujarat ATS were instrumental in bringing Sohrabuddin to Ahmedabad, where he was confined to a farmhouse. He was allegedly picked up by plainclothes policemen from a bus plying to Sangli from Hyderabad.

The prosecution has stated that on the day of encounter, Sohrabuddin was taken by the police to the scene of the offense (Vishala Circle, Ahmedabad) and killed in a fake encounter. The affidavit states that the investigating agency has collected “crucial evidence” against the policemen and their role in the fake encounter case. The prosecution submitted that looking at the seriousness of the case, anticipatory bail could not be granted to the policemen.

... contd.