Sohrabuddin case: CBI wants Amit Shah to be remanded for five days

AHMEDABAD - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today sought former Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah’s custody for five more days in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

At the hearing today, the CBI opposed Shah’s bail plea and requested the court to put Shah in its custody for five more days, as he has not cooperated during his judicial interrogation.

Meanwhile, Shah’s defence lawyer Ram Jethmalani argued that the CBI has failed to question Shah when he surrendered and wants to ruin his political career.

The CBI has charged Shah with murder, abduction, extortion and conspiracy in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

On July 23, it produced a 30,000-page chargesheet implicating Shah in the case.

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

Most of Shah”s replies according to the agency were evasive.

“He has feigned ignorance and loss of memory and is getting away by saying that that ‘I do not know or I do not remember,” sources said.

Earlier, the CBI summoned Geetha Johri, the first woman IPS officer of Gujarat, in connection with the case.

Johri, who was the part of Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case, has been asked to appear before the CBI on August 10.

Earlier, the CBI has also summoned former Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) P C Pandey and asked him to appear before it on August 11. Pandey was DGP of Gujarat when the state CID was investigating the fake encounter 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. (ANI)