Sohrabuddin case: Shah wants Supreme Court to recall CBI probe

NEW DELHI - Former Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been arrested in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, on Friday asked the Supreme Court to recall its verdict for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe on the grounds of ‘prejudice’, and levelled allegations of corruption against its judge and the Central Government.

In the 87-page application moved by Shah, he alleged that Justice Tarun Chatterjee, who was part of the Bench that had handed over the investigation to the CBI on July 12, was himself under the scanner of the investigating agency for his involvement in the Uttar Pradesh provident fund scam.

Shah’s application in the apex court also questioned the propriety of Justice Aftab Alam considering the fact that he was aware that Justice Chatterjee’s name figured in the provident fund scam.

The application prepared under the guidance of noted criminal lawyer Ram Jethmalani has also put forward the points, which are almost similar to those raised by senior Gujarat Police officer Geeta Johri.

Johri had accused the CBI of pressurising her to implicate some political leaders, including Shah, in connection with the case.

In a curative petition filed with the apex court, she sought the removal of Balwinder Singh, CBI’s Special Director, who is supervising the investigation into the case.

She alleged she had been asked by the CBI to depose in a particular manner in the case and that her personal assistant was threatened by the CBI.

The CBI has charged Shah with murder, abduction, extortion and conspiracy. On July 23, it produced a 30,000-page charge-sheet implicating Shah in the case.

Shah was interrogated over three days in jail in mid August, but the CBI said he did not cooperate and has denied any involvement in the case.

The Supreme Court on January 12 has handed over the investigation of the case to the CBI asking it to place before it the report on the progress of the probe within six months by July 31.

Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausar Bi were killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2005. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)