CBI gets Sadik Jamal encounter gun

The metropolitan magistrate's court on Wednesday directed the SIT probing the Ishrat Jahan encounter case to hand over the revolver that was allegedly used by crime branch sleuths in the Sadik Jamal encounter as well. The Sadik Jamal encounter is being investigated by the CBI.

The central agency had moved an application before the metropolitan magistrate court on November 15 seeking possession of the revolver allegedly used by the DCB personnel in both the encounters.

Sources said that the Gujarat high court-appointed Ishrat SIT had earlier taken possession of the 38 bore revolver which was used by a policeman in the Ishrat Jahan encounter.

Several officials of the crime branch were involved in both the encounters. These policemen were part of the team headed by DIG, DG Vanjara, who is currently lodged in jail in connection with the Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case.

The central agency had earlier approached the Ishrat SIT with a request that it be allowed to examine the weapon. The SIT, however, had filed a petition in the magistrate's court seeking the court's direction on whether the revolver should be handed over to the CBI or not.

The court turned down the SIT's petition saying that the agency which wants possession of the weapon should file an application.

Then the CBI moved an application before the court seeking possession of the weapon. On Tuesday, the court had heard the arguments of the CBI and the public prosecutor and had reserved the order for Wednesday.

Sadiq Jamal was killed by sleuths of the Ahmedabad crime branch near Galaxy Cinema in Naroda on January 13, 2003.

The police had then claimed that Jamal was a terrorist who had plans to kill high profile politicians in the state.