SC fixes May 15 for fresh order on Gujarat fake encounter

The Supreme Court on Thursday announced that it would determine the need for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the 2005 Gujarat fake encounter case on May 15.

New Delhi, May 3 : The Supreme Court on Thursday announced that it would determine the need for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the 2005 Gujarat fake encounter case on May 15.

Today's order came in response to a petition file by Rubabuddin, the brother of Gujarat fake encounter victim Soharbuddin Sheikh.

The Central Government also favours a CBI probe into the incident.

Sohrabuddin Sheikh was reportedly gunned down on November 26, 2005 after being branded a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant by Gujarat Police.

Gujarat cadre IPS officers Border Range DIG D G Vanzara and SP (Operations) Rajkumar Pandyan; and Alwar (Rajasthan) SP M N Dinesh Kumar have been accused and arrested in connection with the case, and are in police custody till May 5.

Admitting the petition, a bench comprising of Justices Tarun Chatterjee and P K Balasubramanyam said that a prima-facie case was there, and directed the Government of Gujarat to place its report within two weeks.

The court also sought a reply from the State Government on whether senior IPS officer Geeta Johari, who is investigating the case, had been taken off the probe.

Rubabuddin has also filed a habeas corpus petition seeking a direction to the Gujarat Police to trace Kausar Bi, the wife of Soharbuddin Sheikh, who has been missing since the 2005 encounter.

On Monday, the Gujarat Government told the apex court that Kausar Bi was raped, killed and burnt a few days after Sheikh was killed.

The police have claimed that Sheikh was plotting to kill Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to avenge the death of Muslims in the Gujarat riots in 2002.

ANI