Police team, senior officials posed for photographs; the then CM announced award for the team on the basis of Dinesh MN's inputs.
On May 19 this year, the CBI interrogated Rajeev Dasot, then range IG of Udaipur (Rajasthan) and the immediate senior of Udaipur SP Dinesh MN, who is an accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.
The Gujarat ATS and the Rajasthan police had claimed that they had received 'intelligence inputs' about Sohrabuddin's arrival and his involvement in terrorist activities. Even Dinesh had taken Dasot's verbal permission when he headed for Gujarat along with three of his (the SP's) most trusted policemen.
During the interrogation, the CBI asked Dasot 75 questions about Sohrabuddin and Tulsi Prajapati's encounters. DNA presents some of the questions the CBI asked Dasot.
What information was available with you/police about the activities of Sohrabuddin and Tulsi Prajapati?
Dasot: No information was available to me or brought to my notice about the activities of Sohrabuddin or Tulsi Prajapati. Before going to Ahmedabad, the then SP, Dinesh MN, told me that Sohrabuddin was a notorious criminal wanted in a murder case, and that he wanted to go to Ahmedabad to arrest him. I found it a bit out of place and I asked him whether it is necessary for an SP to go for a murder accused? Can't you sent a strong party?
He said, 'Sir, he is a notorious criminal and wanted in one Hamid Lala murder case.' He said he was already in touch with the Gujarat police. He also told me that he had informed the DGP of Rajasthan police. Then he left after taking oral permission from me. Sohrabuddin was also a wanted accused in the Hamid Lala case. I am not sure whether any information relating to the criminal activities of Sohrabuddin by name was available to the range IG office.
I categorically state that no such note containing information regarding Sohrabuddin or the Hamid Lala case was put before me by the then SP. I state here that I had not heard the name of Tulsi Prajapati before the entire matter come to light.
When did you come to know that Sohrabuddin was a terrorist belonging to LeT and was working on the instructions of the ISI?
Dasot: I never heard anything like that, specially about his terrorist links or his working for the ISI, nor did the SP tell me anything like that before leaving for Gujarat.
Whether any information or report was received from IB/RAW or any other Central agency about the activities of Sohrabuddin and Tulsi in Udaipur?
Dasot: No report regarding the activities of Sohrabuddin or Tulsi Prajapati from the IB or SSB or RAW was received by me after my joining. The PA section of the IG office maintains a file about intelligence inputs received on various aspects from higher formations.
Did you attend the public meeting of the CM [the then Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje]? What did she publicly acknowledge about the police team members who had killed Sohrabuddin in an encounter? Did she declare any reward also?
Dasot: No I don't remember whether there was any public meeting at all but I distinctly remember that the then divisional commissioner Sh. Ramrakh presented Dinesh MN and his team which had gone to Gujarat, before the CM and appreciated before her their work regarding the Sohrabuddin encounter. They also posed for photographs at the helipad. After receiving inputs from Dinesh, the Hon'ble CM announced the reward.
In your opinion, what particular behavioural factors in MN Dinesh and other team members were the bases for you to have suspicions about them?
Dasot: As I told you, there was no suspicion about Dinesh regarding this encounter. After his arrest by the Gujarat CID, the possibility of the encounter being fake, was brought up. In hindsight, I feel that his going to Gujarat himself to nab a murder accused was somewhat unusual. Secondly, not taking the SHO and Circle Officer of the jurisdiction to which the case (Hamid Lala) was related, also comes to my mind. The two SHOs who were included in the team were, one from PS (police station) Pratapnagar and another from the rural areas. I will also add here that it was felt that three subordinate officers, namely Abdul Rehman, Himanshu and Shyam Singh, were working as a coterie with the SP, Dinesh MN.
Who were the other senior officers and state politicians who had visited Ahmedabad after Dinesh and others were arrested?
Dasot: Home Minister of Rajasthan Gulab Chand Kataria, Principal Secretary (Home) Rajasthan late SN Thanvi and AS Gill, DGP, Rajasthan.
What was the purpose of this visit of yours and other senior officers and state politicians to Ahmedabad?
Dasot: My brief was to first verify the news of the arrest from the State Police officers and the reasons thereof, and receive the senior officers in A’bad. The purpose which was told to me for the visit of senior officers and the home minister was to have a meeting with the Home Minister of Gujarat and other senior officers of Gujarat police including the DGP, Gujarat and ADGP, crime, Gujarat.
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