Transfer Sohrabuddin case outside Guj for ‘fair trial’: CBI

The agency today sought permission from the Supreme Court for “further investigation” into the involvement of the “political leadership”.

The agency says the conspiracy resulting in the encounter of Sheikh “may involve” political leaderships in both the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Sources say that the involvement of political leadership may go beyond State Home Minister Amit Shah and the agency is probing into “documents” which allegedly has references to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The agency is primarily probing the killing of Tulsiram Prajapati,who was allegedly accompanying Sheikh and wife Kauser Bi in the bus when the latter was taken away by the police.

Sources said the killing of Prajapati was at a time when then Investigating Officer Geeta Johri had decided to examine him as he was a “witness of the kidnapping”. Sources confirmed that the political leadership in Rajasthan is also under scanner because Prajapati was allegedly picked up from that state. The angle of Prajapati’s alleged killing and that of Sheikh’s death cannot be seen separately and they are the part of the same transaction,which requires to be investigated in consonance,sources said.

The CBI is expectant that the statements of police officers summoned like DGP PC Pande,OP Mathur and Geeta Johri may throw some light into the role of the political leadership that “goes beyond” Shah.

Pande eventually retired as the Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau,while Mathur retired as the Director General of Communication.

Mathur was also one of the officers under whose supervision the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case was investigated by CID (Crime).

Senior advocate KTS Tulsi,who will be appearing for the CBI in the case,called fo restraint to not divulge “specific evidence” and not make the job of the prosecution more diffuicult.

The status report has been filed in compliance with a Supreme Court order by a Bench led by Justice Tarun Chatterjee.

The report of the CBI authorities shall be filed in this Court when this court will pass further necessary orders in accordance with the said report,if necessary,” the court directed.

The SC ‘s brief to the CBI was to investigate “all aspects of the case relating to the killing of Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausarbi including the alleged possibility of a larger conspiracy.”