Mumbai, 07 May (HS): Maintaining the decision of a

Special Court, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 22 accused, including 21

police personnel, in allegedly fake encounter to eliminate Gujarat’s goon

Sohrabuddin Sheikh. Sohrabuddin’s borthers had moved the High Court against

decision of the lower court.

The Central Bureau

of Investigation (CBI) in its case of 2005 had charged several police personnel

of fake encounter of Sohrabuddin, his wife Kausar Bi and his associate Tulsiram

Prajapati. Sohrabuddin was killed on November 26, 2005 in Ahmedabad. His wife

was eliminated and her dead body was disposed of by the police after killing

her. About a year later Tulsiram was reportedly killed in a fake encounter. The

Special Court of CBI in 2018 released all the 22 accused for want of adequate

evidence against them.

Sohrabuddin’s brothers Rubabuddin and Nayabuddin

moved the High Court against this decision, alleging that the Special Court

ignored statements of key witnesses. The Bombay High Court, after hearing

arguments of both the parties, maintained the decision of the Special Court and

acquitted all the 22 accused, including 21 police personnel. The court also

rejected the application under Article 197 related to punishment for making false

statements.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar