CBI to probe Prajapati fake encounter

The Supreme Court has directed a CBI probe into the Tulsiram Prajapati fake encounter case in which former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah is an accused. The state police has already filed a charge sheet.

A bench of justices P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan rejected the Gujarat government’s plea that CBI couldn’t start the probe as a charge sheet was already filed before the judge.

Prajapati’s mother Narmada Bai moved the apex court seeking a CBI probe into the death of his son in a fake encounter on November 26, 2005. He was allegedly killed for being a key witness to the Sohrabuddin encounter killing.

The bench said Narmada Bai has made out a “strong case” for transfer of investigation to CBI as there was “strong suspicion about involvement of police personnel from — Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The judges also criticised the tardy investigations conducted by the Gujarat Police in the killings, in which, besides politicians, top police officials are also involved.