The CBI is likely to arrest another top retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Gujarat, who is considered close to former Gujarat minister of state (home) Amit Shah, on the charges of destruction of evidence in the alleged Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.
According to sources, the retired police official allegedly indulged in tampering evidences against Amit Shah. Sources revealed that during investigation CBI officials found that name of Amit Shah was missing from certain documents which was provided by the former IPS official, who belonged to the Gujarat cadre.
The IPS official was closely associated with the investigation when it was being conducted by the state police. Sohrabuddin, along with his wife Kauser Bi and another person, was picked up during a joint operation by the Gujarat and the Andhra Pradesh police from a bus on November 22, 2005. He was gunned down allegedly in a fake encounter by the Gujarat police’s Anti-Terrorist Squad, on November 26, 2005.
“When CBI officials cross checked the details provided by the tainted IPS official with its own investigation, it was found that the name of Amit Shah was deliberately deleted from certain documents which were under the scrutiny of the CBI,” sources said. There is a strong possibility that the former IPS official will be arrested very soon, sources added.
Sources further said that former deputy superintendent of police M.K. Amin, who has turned approver in the case, also revealed that the retired IPS officer, who is under the scanner, deliberately tampered with certain evidences to save Mr Amit Shah.
“The agency will soon interrogate the retired IPS official. Besides, agency officials have also decided to question certain senior police officials of Andhra Pradesh in connection with their suspected role in the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh. There is a possibility that the agency may file a case against certain Andhra Pradesh police officials.”