Gujarat HC rejects Abhay Chudasama’s bail plea

Justice Abhilasha Kumari of the Gujarat high court, on Friday, rejected the bail application of suspended IPS officer Abhay Chudasama who is currently in jail as an accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

While rejecting the bail plea, the court observed that there is, prima facie, a case against the IPS officer as was evident from the documentary evidence. “The offences allegedly committed by the petitioner are of a serious nature, entailing severe punishment if proved during trial,” the court said.

The court also said that considering the fact that Chudasama is a senior police officer in Gujarat, the likelihood of his tampering with evidence and intimidating witnesses if released on bail cannot be ruled out.

On Chudasama’s role in the fake encounter, the court said that there is material prima facie evidence suggesting his role in extortion of money and masterminding the firing that took place at the office of Popular Builders.

The IPS officer had also allegedly played a role in procuring Sohrabuddin and Kauserbi through Tulsiram Prajapati, the court added.

It further said that there is evidence on record to suggest that Chudasama had offered Nayamuddin, brother of Sohrabuddin, a bribe of Rs50 lakh to withdraw the case he had filed in the Apex Court.

“He is allegedly involved in the kidnapping of witness Azam Khan during the pendency of the investigation,” said the court, adding that these allegations were based on statements of witnesses, besides audio and video recordings which prima facie implicated Chudasama.

Chudasama was DCP of Ahmedabad crime branch when he was arrested by the CBI a couple of years back in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.