Sadik, Ishrat probe cases get new office

The Gujarat government has set up an office in Patnagar Yojana Bhavan located in Sector 16 of Gandhinagar for the CBI team that would be investigating the Sadik Jamal and Ishrat Jahan encounter cases.

Sources said the office was ready and would be handed over to the CBI whenever the central agency wants.

An office assistant, who has been working tirelessly to put in place the furniture and other equipment in the office, said the new place had been equipped with all the facilities sought by the central agency.

"The furniture, computers, printers, fax machines, telephones and the number of SRP security personnel to be deployed were decided after an office was chosen for the central agency," a source said.

The new place was set up in the last 10 days after the Gujarat high court pulled up the state government for not providing the CBI with a proper office for investigation of the Sadik Jamal encounter case.

A police tent has already been erected outside the building and SRP personnel deployed there.

"The office may begin functioning in the next few days," a source told DNA.

The CBI team for the Ishrat encounter case is currently holding meetings and operating from different places. However, it will shift to the new office very soon, sources said. The CBI is currently investigating two encounter cases both of which were handed over to it by the Gujarat High Court.