The court on Friday rejected the application made by Gujarat government to transfer the accused in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case to a jail in Gujarat. In its plea the government stated that there were intelligence inputs that the accused faced a threat from members of the Students Islamic Movement of India (Simi) lodged inside Arthur Road Jail who were preparing to murder them. The accused have been temporarily shifted to Taloja Jail while the court has asked the superintendent of Arthur Road jail to report the prevailing security arrangements there.
The IB threat report attached with the application states that an ex-Simi member from Surat and his associates from Mumbai are making plans to grievously attack the police officers accused in Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, especially Abhay Chudasama, when they will be lodged at Arthur Road jail. The report further states that a considerable amount of money has also been spent to execute the plan. The report also states that the Maharashtra ATS is working out details and is monitoring the scenario.
The court has asked the Arthur Road Jail superintendent to remain present before it on November 26 when he has been asked to give his report on security arrangements in his prison.
Seventeen of the 19 accused appeared before the court on Friday. Two of them did not appear as they are undergoing treatment in a Gujarat hospital. All of them were remanded to judicial custody till December 7.