Cops tried to tamper with evidence in Sohrabuddin case: Congress

Congress leader Arjun Modhvadia today charged the Gujarat police officials of manipulating the investigation in the fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin, tampering with the evidence and bringing pressure on the probing police officers.

Modhvadia told a press conference here that IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian, who is now in jail in the fake encounter case, had tried to exert pressure on senior IPS officer Rajnish Rai to change the statements of some witnesses. Rai was briefly in-charge of investigation of the fake encounter case.

To substantiate his allegation, Modhvadia produced a copy of detailed note Rai had made on April 7, 2007 regarding a telephone call he had received from Pandian. 

"Today at around 7 pm, I received a phone call from Rajkumar Pandian, to enquire from me whether the team that  had been to Hyderabad for investigation has returned and he further impressed upon me to take care of the statements of Apte family recorded by the investigation officer as their statements were very crucial for the case because these persons had identified Sohrabuddin and Kauserbi during the inquiry stage," Rai stated in his note that was circulated by Modhvadia here.