Gagan encounter may haunt IPS officer soon

IPS officer Satish Verma, who helped CBI probe role of his colleagues in Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case, may soon find himself in their shoes but in a different case.

Gujarat Government may soon file a fresh FIR in Jasu Gagan Shial’s encounter of 1996-97 in Porbandar, on basis of recent findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the matter. Verma might be named accused in the FIR for he was DSP, Porbandar when the encounter had taken place.

The SIT instated by Gujarat High Court has chanced upon new eye-witnesses and recorded their fresh statements, on basis of which they reconstructed the scene of crime. The investigators claim that witnesses are genuine.

It has been established primarily that the encounter was fake, said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.

“There is contradiction in direction of gunshot fired, as mentioned in the medical report and in the final report of the encounter,” said the officer. “We have sufficient evidence to prove that Gagan’s was a fake encounter and a fresh FIR will be filed to reinvestigate the case from scratch.”

He also reiterated that the recent investigation is only a beginning, and more truth is expected to tumble once a proper probe is conducted.

SIT is currently working out the legalities to file the fresh FIR, and will accordingly corner Verma in the encounter case. Verma, too, is pulling all stops to counter the latest moves by the state government, say sources. He was recently in New Delhi for the same purpose.