The CBI, probing the conspiracy which led to the fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan and three others, is likely to mention the role of two suspects who helped the Gujarat police and Intelligence Bureau officials (IB) in the illegal detention of Jishan Johar — one of the four deceased — before the shootout, in its supplementary chargesheet.
Sources said, “Probe by the CBI has revealed that two agents engaged by M. Rajendra Kumar (former special director-IB) assisted other accused cops in managing the illegal custody of Jishan Johar.” CBI sleuths have recorded the statements of both agents who were earlier untraceable, sources said, adding that their “crucial role” in the encounter will be mentioned in the chargesheet.
Probe also revealed that in the last week of April 2004, Jishan on his arrival in Ahmed-abad, was taken into illegal custody by a joint team of accused police officers and state intelligence officers of Ahmedabad, sources said. “The agency is also likely to elaborate the exact role played by three others SIB officers — P. Mittal, M.K. Sinha and Rajiv Wankhede — in the fake encounter in its probe report”, sources said.
Ishrat along with three others: Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Jishan Johar were killed in a fake encounter near Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004.
Meanwhile, former home ministry official R.V.S. Mani, who had filed two contradictory affidavits in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case in 2009, has sought voluntary retirement from the service and his lawyer alleged that he was doing so following “harassment”.
The agency sleuths also scrutinised the forensic report of the weapons used by accused cops during the shootout and that too revealed that the victims did not fire even a single bullet on the cops, sources said adding this will also be mentioned in the report.