Despite Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy denying that any of his policemen were involved in the Gujarat fake encounter case, he has asked the Centre to initiate a CBI probe into the matter with an oral request to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

Police officials here said they are also trying to identify the seven state police personnel who reportedly accompanied SP Rajkumar Pandian when Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausar Bi were picked up. While officials maintained that they have not yet identified the seven, sources said the two sub-inspectors and five other policemen belonged to the Commissioner’s Task Force, which deals with terrorism-related cases in the city.

Sources claimed that the Hyderabad policemen gave their Gujarat counterparts logistical support, and also tracked the movements of the Sheikh couple. They helped the Gujarat policemen identify the route the Hyderabad- Sangli bus would take and also planned where they would stop the bus.