Police files chargesheet in Prajapati killing

Gandhinagar (IANS)- The Gujarat police moved to file the chargesheet in the killing of Tulsiram Prajapati in a staged shootout in the court Friday even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed the interim report of its probe into the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the questioning of former minister Amit Shah, allegedly involved in the killing of Sheikh, by the CBI concluded here Friday. His house in Ahmedabad was also searched by CBI officers who have directed the income tax authorities to probe his assets and income.

According to range Deputy Inspector General, B.S. Jebaliya, the 1,000 page chargesheet has been filed against nine accused, including three IPS officers, DIG D.G. Vanzara, Superintendents of Police Dinesh M.N. and Vipul Agarwal, besides Inspector Ashish Pandya and five constables. Four Rajasthan policemen have been shown as absconders.

Deputy Superintendent of Police R.K. Patel however said the chargesheet has been filed against seven people and Vanzara and Dinesh would be brought in later.

The accused have been charged with murder, kidnapping, destroying evidence and forging documents among others. The chargesheet makes no mention of Amit Shah whose cellphone records showed him in active touch with key police officers involved and charged in connection with the suspected staged shootout.

Prajapati was killed in an alleged staged shootout on Dec 28, 2006 before the state CID(crime) then probing the Sohrabuddin case could record his statement. He was the sole eye-witness in the killing of Sheikh and the elimination of his wife Kauserbi.

Fourteen days before his death Prajapati had written a letter to the district judge Udaipur apprehending his likely stage-managed elimination by the Gujarat police. His fears proved prophetic.

Highly placed sources said that the inordinate hurry shown by the Gujarat police in filing the chargesheet in the court was largely to pre-empt the CBI from seeking charge of the case from the Supreme Court since the Prajapati killing is an extension of the Sohrabuddin case.

The hearing of the Ishrat Jahan suspected staged shootout case for being handed over to the CBI is already in progress in the high court.