Ahmedabad- In a new twist in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, eight accused Gujarat police officers including former DIG D G Vanzara have opposed another accused ACP N K Amin turning approver in the case.
If Amin spills the beans, he may get away with a lighter sentence but the noose will tighten on the other accused.
Hearing of Amin's application to turn approver was deferred till August 3 by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate A I Raval.
In a related development, the CBI today arrested Rajendra Jirawala, owner of Arham farm where alleged gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kausarbi were kept for questioning, in connection with the case.
Rajendra, who has a house in Arham farm, was called for questioning today. He was arrested later, CBI said.
He was later produced in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate for remand and charged by CBI for criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and wrongful confinement.
Rajendra is the brother of Surendra Jirawala, who is a BJP corporator in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausar bi were allegedly shifted to the Arham farm from Disha farm on the night of November 25, 2005. The next day Sohrabuddin was killed in the encounter by Gujarat police.
Kausar bi was allegedly kept at the Arham farm for the next few days before she was killed, her body was burnt and ashes were thrown in Narmada river near Bharuch.
The eight accused, including three suspended IPS officers Vanzara, Dinesh M N and Rajkumar Pandian, have informed the court through their lawyer Prayesh Limbachia that they have objection to Amin's application to turn approver.
Amin, who was suspended as Assistant Commissioner Police, city Crime Branch, is in the Sabarmti jail along with 15 other police officers for their alleged involvement in the case.
Limbachia, representing the accused, stood up in the court when the court proceedings were on and said that they should be made party to the case.
He said they will file a detailed affidavit listing their objections to Amin turning approver during the next hearing of the case.
Amin, through his lawyers, had yesterday filed an application in the court to become approver and had also asked the court to grant him pardon in the case.
His application had come a day after former minister of state for home of Gujarat Amit Shah was arrested by CBI in the fake encounter case.
The hearing was adjourned as Amin's lawyer had to leave immediately due to a family related matter.
Amin's another application for being shifted from Sabarmati jail to another prison was rejected by the court.
Meanwhile, former IPS officer O P Mathur failed to appear before CBI today on the second day after he was issued summons by the investigating agency yesterday, CBI officials said.
Mathur had headed the state CID which earlier investigated the Sohrabuddin fake encounter killing case before the probe was transfered to CBI by the Supreme Court in January this year.
Gujarat's former junior Home Minister Amit Shah has been arrested in connection with Sohrabuddin killing case.
Mathur is now the head of Raksha Shakti University recently set up by the state government.
Sources close to Mathur said he could not appear for investigations due to personal reasons.
Mathur was earlier questioned by CBI in May in the same case.
Meanwhile, CBI is likey to file a report in the Supreme Court regarding its investigations before July 31 as the six-month deadline given by the apex court ends.
Another retired IPS officer G C Raigar, who was also heading the state CID when the agency was probing Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, has said he was called by CBI as a witness in the case.
CBI, which is probing the fake encounter case following Supreme Court orders, had recored the statement of Raigar at length yesterday.
Raigar said he was called in as a witness in the case.
To a question if he was asked about alleged involvement of Amit Shah in the case, Raigar refused to comment.
Raigar had been questioned earlier by CBI in connection with fake encounter of Sohrabuddin and killing of his wife Kausar Bi in November 2005.
CBI, which had arrested Shah on charges of murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and extortion on July 25, would begin his interrogation in jail from tomorrow. PTI
