The CBI’s probe of the killing of Ishrat Jahan and three others, allegedly in a fake encounter, has come across a conspiracy involving Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials and some state-level politicians: this finding will form part of its supplementary chargesheet in the case.
The questioning of certain state police officials under CrPC Section 164, which is treated as evidence in court, revealed they were asked to be present at the time of the shootout without basic precautionary equipment, including bullet-proof jackets and helmets.
“This deposition of the state police officer proves that the encounter was staged and the accused cops were quite sure that the victims would not retaliate during the encounter,” said CBI sources. Some state police officers in their depositions also revealed that the victims were interrogated by IB officers when they had been kept at separate farmhouses on the outskirts of Ahmedabad before the encounter, sources added.
“Fresh statements of the police officers, recorded under CrPC Section 164, will be mentioned in the supplementary chargesheet in the case,” sources said.
The CBI is expected to file a supplementary chargesheet in the first week of August. Ishrat and three others — Javed Sheikh, alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar — were killed, allegedly in a fake encounter, on June 15, 2004.