Press Trust of India
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (Ahmedabad)
The three IPS officers who were arrested on Tuesday for killing a man in a fake encounter have been sent to police custody till May 1 by the Metropolitan Magistrate.
The officers- D G Vanjahara, R K Pandian and Dinesh Kumar- were involved in killing Sohrabuddin Sheikh in 2005 after pulling him and his wife Kausar off a bus near Ahmedabad.
While the Gujarat government is absolutely silent on the fake encounter case, nobody in government is ready to make a statement.
The Rajasthan government has rallied behind its own officer. One of the officers arrested is from the Rajasthan cadre.
On Wednesday along with Rajasthan's IG Police and Principal Secretary (Home), the state's Home Minister Gulab Singh Kataria arrived in Gujarat and argued for his officer.
''We have been told that our officer is involved in the conspiracy. I have been in the home department for years and I know that under section 120 first the main accused is named and captured. The others who might be involved are co-accused,'' said Gulab Singh Kataria, Home Minister, Rajasthan.
''In this case the procedure has been reversed. Now the only option we have is to abide by the court's decision. According to the series of events, our officer was not present at the time of the incident,'' Kataria added.
Police had claimed that Sohrabuddin was a Lashkar activist who was planning to kill chief minister Narendra Modi. His wife Kausar is still missing.
Source - http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070009846
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Rohit Bhan
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (Ahmedabad)
In less than 24 hours, the Gujarat police has come under pressure in the investigation against three IPS officers arrested for a fake encounter.
On Wednesday, the Rajasthan Home Minister went to Ahmedabad and claimed that one of his officer arrested wasn't even present at the time of the shooting.
A CID inquiry has already established that the three officers were present when Sohrabuddin Sheikh was killed in Novemeber 2005. The question is - can the Gujarat police impartially investigate its own officer?
These IPS officers - DG Vanzara, a DIG, RK Pandiyan, an SP and Dinesh Kumar from neighbouring Rajasthan have been arrested for a fake encounter in which they killed Sheikh.
His wife, Kauser Bi, who was picked up along with Sohrabuddin from a bus three days before the fake encounter, is still missing.
After the encounter the police claimed Sohrabuddin was involved in a plot to kill Gujarat Chief Minister, Narender Modi.
CID investigation
Rajnish Rai is the police officer in-charge of investigating his colleagues. But in a case where there have already been allegations of some sections of the government pressurising the initial CID investigation, can the Gujarat police be expected to investigate its own, impartially?
Everybody in the Gujarat government has clamped up.
The MoS (Home) said a detailed briefing would be given by the additional DG (crime), OP Mathur. But the officer remained incommunicado. Even the state police chief maintained a stoic silence.
Amidst sloganeering, an Ahmedabad court on Wednesday sent all the three officers to seven days in police custody where the prosecution says it wants to interrogate its officers on critical questions.
But the investigation is already coming under pressure. The Rajasthan Home Minister and police chief flew into Ahmedabad to defend their officer Dinesh Kumar.
Contradicting a CID inquiry given to the Supreme Court they claimed their officer wasn't even present during the fake encounter.
''According to the series of events, our officer was not present at the time of the incident,'' said Gulab Singh Kataria, Home Minister, Rajasthn.
The Congress has made it clear it doesn't trust the Gujarat police investigating its own and wants an independent inquiry.
Criticism notwithstanding, police sources say they could soon arrest about five other cops who were present when their officers masterminded the cold-blooded murder of Sohrabuddin.
Source - http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070009889
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More detailed news here - http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/25spec.htm
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (Ahmedabad)
The three IPS officers who were arrested on Tuesday for killing a man in a fake encounter have been sent to police custody till May 1 by the Metropolitan Magistrate.
The officers- D G Vanjahara, R K Pandian and Dinesh Kumar- were involved in killing Sohrabuddin Sheikh in 2005 after pulling him and his wife Kausar off a bus near Ahmedabad.
While the Gujarat government is absolutely silent on the fake encounter case, nobody in government is ready to make a statement.
The Rajasthan government has rallied behind its own officer. One of the officers arrested is from the Rajasthan cadre.
On Wednesday along with Rajasthan's IG Police and Principal Secretary (Home), the state's Home Minister Gulab Singh Kataria arrived in Gujarat and argued for his officer.
''We have been told that our officer is involved in the conspiracy. I have been in the home department for years and I know that under section 120 first the main accused is named and captured. The others who might be involved are co-accused,'' said Gulab Singh Kataria, Home Minister, Rajasthan.
''In this case the procedure has been reversed. Now the only option we have is to abide by the court's decision. According to the series of events, our officer was not present at the time of the incident,'' Kataria added.
Police had claimed that Sohrabuddin was a Lashkar activist who was planning to kill chief minister Narendra Modi. His wife Kausar is still missing.
Source - http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070009846
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rohit Bhan
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (Ahmedabad)
In less than 24 hours, the Gujarat police has come under pressure in the investigation against three IPS officers arrested for a fake encounter.
On Wednesday, the Rajasthan Home Minister went to Ahmedabad and claimed that one of his officer arrested wasn't even present at the time of the shooting.
A CID inquiry has already established that the three officers were present when Sohrabuddin Sheikh was killed in Novemeber 2005. The question is - can the Gujarat police impartially investigate its own officer?
These IPS officers - DG Vanzara, a DIG, RK Pandiyan, an SP and Dinesh Kumar from neighbouring Rajasthan have been arrested for a fake encounter in which they killed Sheikh.
His wife, Kauser Bi, who was picked up along with Sohrabuddin from a bus three days before the fake encounter, is still missing.
After the encounter the police claimed Sohrabuddin was involved in a plot to kill Gujarat Chief Minister, Narender Modi.
CID investigation
Rajnish Rai is the police officer in-charge of investigating his colleagues. But in a case where there have already been allegations of some sections of the government pressurising the initial CID investigation, can the Gujarat police be expected to investigate its own, impartially?
Everybody in the Gujarat government has clamped up.
The MoS (Home) said a detailed briefing would be given by the additional DG (crime), OP Mathur. But the officer remained incommunicado. Even the state police chief maintained a stoic silence.
Amidst sloganeering, an Ahmedabad court on Wednesday sent all the three officers to seven days in police custody where the prosecution says it wants to interrogate its officers on critical questions.
But the investigation is already coming under pressure. The Rajasthan Home Minister and police chief flew into Ahmedabad to defend their officer Dinesh Kumar.
Contradicting a CID inquiry given to the Supreme Court they claimed their officer wasn't even present during the fake encounter.
''According to the series of events, our officer was not present at the time of the incident,'' said Gulab Singh Kataria, Home Minister, Rajasthn.
The Congress has made it clear it doesn't trust the Gujarat police investigating its own and wants an independent inquiry.
Criticism notwithstanding, police sources say they could soon arrest about five other cops who were present when their officers masterminded the cold-blooded murder of Sohrabuddin.
Source - http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070009889
----------------------------------------------------------------------
More detailed news here - http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/25spec.htm