“We have sent four teams to Srinagar, Delhi, Lucknow and Nashik to probe the alleged terror links of Jishan Johar and Amzad Ali, the two Pakistanis who were found with Ishrat,” an SIT officer said.
SIT sources said they had information that Ishrat had called her mother from Nashik. “Ishrat had called up her mother on June 12, 2004, three days before her encounter, and told her she was fine with Javed, who was killed with her. The duo had moved to Nashik before coming to Ahmedabad,” the officer said.
“We will start questioning the 19 officers beginning from retired IPS officers K R Kaushik and P P Pandey, who apparently knew Ishrat and her three accomplices were entering the city. Kaushik and others would be also questioned on the action plan made for the encounter,” he added.
He said 11 other officers were present at the Indira Bridge point, where the encounter took place.
The other officers under the scanner include ACP Tarun Barot, who was an inspector at that time, ACP Vaghela (in State Human Rights Commission at present), N K Amin, D G Vanzara (accused in Sohrabuddin fake encounter case) and 13 constables and sub-inspectors who were a part of the operation.
The probe team has decided to start questioning of these police officers from next week, added the SIT officer.