Sohrabuddin case: CBI to quiz 6 IPS officers

Ahmedabad: The CBI, investigating the fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and alleged murder of his wife Kauserbi, has summoned six IPS officers for questioning sometime next week, an official said on Friday.

"We have called in some IPS officers who were part of the earlier investigation in the case for questioning," a CBI official told PTI in Ahmedabad.

They include Geetha Johri, who was the Investigating Officer when the case was being probed by the State CID, according to CBI sources.

The central agency has also called Rajneesh Rai, who was the one who had arrested three IPS officers, DG Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh MN, considered to be main conspirators behind the encounter of Sheikh and disappearance of his wife Kauserbi in November 2005, they said.

Two former chiefs of Gujarat CID and the current head of the state agency, which was investigating the case before it was handed over to the CBI, have also been called for questioning, the sources said.

While VV Rabari is the present head of CID, his predecessors were GC Raigar and OP Mathur. The sixth officer is Girish Singhal, currently with Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

Singhal was Gandinagar SP when the encounter took place. Two days ago, the CBI arrested DCP Abhay Chudasama, the fourth IPS officer held in the case.

Singhal, as SP Gandhinagar, had visited Deesha farm where Sheikh was kept before being killed in encounter. On April 28, the CBI arrested Chudasama, DCP (Crime Branch) here and described him as a key conspirator.

The CBI has said Chudasama ran an extortion racket along with Sheikh and extracted money from rich traders.

Chudasama had allegedly engineered the abduction and murder of Sheikh and his wife.

He got Sheikh eliminated allegedly for considerable material gains, the central agency has said.

According to the remand application submitted by the CBI, Chudasama had offered Rs 50 lakh to Shiekh's brother, Rubabuddin, to withdraw a petition related to the case filed in the Gujarat High Court.

Chudasama is the 15th police officer and fourth IPS man to be arrested for the fake encounter of Sheikh.

Three IPS officers -- DG Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian of Gujarat cadre and Dinesh MN of Rajasthan -- along with 11 other policemen are currently behind bars.