CBI gets 2-day custody of Tarun Barot

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was allowed to interrogate encounter specialist cop Tarun Barot till Friday afternoon by CBI special court judge AY Dave on Wednesday.

Earlier, CBI demanded five days’ remand on the ground that remand was necessary to ascertain the modus operandi used and role played by the other accused. The agency further said interrogation was also necessary to recover incriminating material used in the commission of crime and to unearth the deep-rooted conspiracy related to the fake encounter of Sadik Jamal.

The CBI had also submitted that the crime was peculiar in nature and had inter-state ramifications and hence, it was necessary to detain the accused (Barot) in police custody for five days.

Partly allowing the plea, magistrate Dave said, “It is fair to grant remand (of accused) looking to the nature of offence. The law is equal for all even though person is of high rank as compared to common people. The CBI has submitted that the accused is a protector of law and has committed an offence.”

The court further said, “It is necessary to grant remand to find out modus operandi of the accused and whether he has committed such offences in the past.”

Earlier, Rohit Verma, on behalf of Barot, submitted that there is a group that is vindictive towards him. Whenever he was called by CBI he turned up. The CBI has arrested a person who has nothing to do with the case, said Verma.

Alleging that CBI is using pressure tactics, Verma said Barot was threatened by the CBI to become a witness or face jail. Hence, he made representations before the director and special director of CBI on May 15 and 16 respectively and showed his fear of being falsely implicated in the case by CBI.