A special CBI court in Mumbai is likely to pronounce today the verdict in the sensational Sohrabuddin Shaikh-Tulsiram Prajapati <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sohrabuddin-case-high-court-upholds-discharge-of-ex-gujarat-ats-chief-vanzara-4-others-164857">alleged fake encounter case of 2005</a> in which 22 persons, most of them policemen, are on trial.

The case <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sohrabuddin-case-claims-yet-another-judge-says-rahul-gandhi-34210">has attracted much attention as BJP chief Amit Shah</a>, who was Minister of State for Home in Gujarat at the time of the incidents, was one of the accused before being discharged in 2014. During the trial, as many as 92 prosecution witnesses turned hostile.

After the final arguments were wrapped up earlier this month, Special Judge for CBI cases S J Sharma had said he will pronounce the verdict on December 21.

Most of the accused are junior-level police officials from Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The court earlier discharged, for want of evidence, 16 of the 38 persons charge-sheeted by the CBI. These included Amit Shah, the then Rajasthan home minister Gulabchand Kataria, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande and former senior Gujarat police officer D G Vanzara.

According to the CBI, Shaikh, an alleged gangster with terror links, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Prajapati were abducted by Gujarat police from a bus when they were on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra from Hyderabad on the night of November 22 and 23, 2005.

Shaikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter on November 26, 2005 near Ahmedabad. His wife was killed three days later and her body was disposed off, the CBI said.

A year later, on December 27, 2006, Prajapati was also shot dead by Gujarat and Rajasthan police in an alleged fake encounter near Chapri on Gujarat-Rajasthan border.

The case was initially probed by the Gujarat CID before the CBI took over in 2010. The Supreme Court in 2013 directed that the trial to&nbsp;be shifted to Mumbai from Gujarat on the central agency's request to ensure a fair trial.

The prosecution examined 210 witnesses, of which 92 turned hostile.

Even as the trial has wound down to a close, two prosecution witnesses applied to the court Wednesday that they be re-examined.

One of them, Azam Khan, an aide of Shaikh, claimed in his plea that accused Abdul Rehman, a former police inspector who had allegedly fired on Shaikh, threatened Khan that if he did not depose as told, he would be framed up in false cases.

His wife was also threatened, Khan claimed.

Another witness, Mahendra Zala, a petrol pump owner, has alleged that the prosecution did not furnish to the court his statement recorded before a magistrate.

The court will decide both pleas Friday.

A special CBI court in Mumbai is likely to pronounce today the verdict in the sensational Sohrabuddin Shaikh-Tulsiram Prajapati alleged fake encounter case of 2005 in which 22 persons, most of them policemen, are on trial.

A special CBI court in Mumbai is likely to pronounce today the verdict in the sensational Sohrabuddin Shaikh-Tulsiram Prajapati alleged fake encounter case of 2005 in which 22 persons, most of them policemen, are on trial. The case has attracted much attention as BJP chief Amit Shah, who was Minister of State for Home in Gujarat at the time of the incidents, was one of the accused before being discharged in 2014. During the trial, as many as 92 prosecution witnesses turned hostile. After the final arguments were wrapped up earlier this month, Special Judge for CBI cases S J Sharma had said he will pronounce the verdict on December 21. Most of the accused are junior-level police officials from Gujarat and Rajasthan. The court earlier discharged, for want of evidence, 16 of the 38 persons charge-sheeted by the CBI. These included Amit Shah, the then Rajasthan home minister Gulabchand Kataria, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande and former senior Gujarat police officer D G Vanzara. According to the CBI, Shaikh, an alleged gangster with terror links, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Prajapati were abducted by Gujarat police from a bus when they were on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra from Hyderabad on the night of November 22 and 23, 2005. Shaikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter on November 26, 2005 near Ahmedabad. His wife was killed three days later and her body was disposed off, the CBI said. A year later, on December 27, 2006, Prajapati was also shot dead by Gujarat and Rajasthan police in an alleged fake encounter near Chapri on Gujarat-Rajasthan border. The case was initially probed by the Gujarat CID before the CBI took over in 2010. The Supreme Court in 2013 directed that the trial to be shifted to Mumbai from Gujarat on the central agency's request to ensure a fair trial. The prosecution examined 210 witnesses, of which 92 turned hostile. Even as the trial has wound down to a close, two prosecution witnesses applied to the court Wednesday that they be re-examined. One of them, Azam Khan, an aide of Shaikh, claimed in his plea that accused Abdul Rehman, a former police inspector who had allegedly fired on Shaikh, threatened Khan that if he did not depose as told, he would be framed up in false cases. His wife was also threatened, Khan claimed. Another witness, Mahendra Zala, a petrol pump owner, has alleged that the prosecution did not furnish to the court his statement recorded before a magistrate. The court will decide both pleas Friday.

Sohrabuddin Shaikh encounter: CBI court likely to pronounce verdict today

A special CBI court on Friday acquitted all 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsi Prajapati, citing insufficient evidence.

Following is the timeline of the case.

November 22, 2005:&nbsp;Sohrabuddin, Kausar Bi and Prajapati are intercepted by a police team in a bus while returning to Sangli from Hyderabad and are taken into custody.

Shaikh and his wife taken in one vehicle, Prajapati in another.

November 22 to 25, 2005:&nbsp;Shaikh and Kausar Bi kept in a farmhouse near Ahmedabad. Prajapati sent to Udaipur where he is lodged in prison to face trial.

November 26, 2005: Shaikh killed in an alleged fake encounter, allegedly by a joint team comprising Gujarat and Rajasthan police.

November 29, 2005:&nbsp;Kausar Bi also allegedly killed by police, her body burnt and disposed of.

December 27, 2006:&nbsp;Prajapati taken from the Udaipur central prison by a team comprising Rajasthan and Gujarat police and allegedly killed in an encounter near Sarhad Chapri on Gujarat-Rajasthan border.

&nbsp;2005-2006:&nbsp;Shaikh's family approaches the Supreme Court for the investigation into his encounter and also seeks to know the whereabouts of Kausar Bi. SC directs Gujarat state CID to conduct a probe in the case.

April 30, 2007:&nbsp;Gujarat government files a report before the Supreme Court stating Kausar Bi is dead and her body burnt and disposed of.

January 2010:&nbsp;&nbsp;Supreme Court hands over the probe to CBI.

July 23, 2010:&nbsp;CBI files charge sheet against 38 persons including the then Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah, the then Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria and senior IPS officials.

July 25, 2010:&nbsp;CBI arrests Amit Shah in the case.

September 27, 2012:&nbsp;Supreme Court transfers trial in the case from Gujarat to Mumbai as sought by the CBI to ensure a fair trial.

December 30, 2014: A special CBI court in Mumbai discharges Amit Shah. Fifteen other accused including Kataria and senior IPS officials also discharged subsequently.

November 2015:&nbsp;Shaikh's brother Rubabuddin approaches the Bombay High Court to challenge Amit Shah's discharge. However, the same month, he tells the HC that he does not wish to pursue the case and withdraws his petition.

October 2017: Special CBI court in Mumbai frames charges against 22 accused.

November 2017:&nbsp; Special CBI Judge S J Sharma commences trial in the case. Prosecution examines 210 witnesses, of which 92 turned hostile.

September 2018:&nbsp;Bombay HC upholds discharge granted to senior police officers D G Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian, NK Amin, Vipul Aggarwal, Dinesh MN and Dalpat Singh Rathod.

December 5, 2018:&nbsp;Court closes the case completion of final arguments by prosecution and defence lawyers.

December 21, 2018:&nbsp;Court acquits all 22 accused in the case after observing that prosecution failed to establish charges against them.

A special CBI court on Friday acquitted all 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsi Prajapati, citing insufficient evidence.

A special CBI court on Friday acquitted all 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsi Prajapati, citing insufficient evidence. Following is the timeline of the case. November 22, 2005: Sohrabuddin, Kausar Bi and Prajapati are intercepted by a police team in a bus while returning to Sangli from Hyderabad and are taken into custody. Shaikh and his wife taken in one vehicle, Prajapati in another. November 22 to 25, 2005: Shaikh and Kausar Bi kept in a farmhouse near Ahmedabad. Prajapati sent to Udaipur where he is lodged in prison to face trial. November 26, 2005: Shaikh killed in an alleged fake encounter, allegedly by a joint team comprising Gujarat and Rajasthan police. November 29, 2005: Kausar Bi also allegedly killed by police, her body burnt and disposed of. December 27, 2006: Prajapati taken from the Udaipur central prison by a team comprising Rajasthan and Gujarat police and allegedly killed in an encounter near Sarhad Chapri on Gujarat-Rajasthan border. 2005-2006: Shaikh's family approaches the Supreme Court for the investigation into his encounter and also seeks to know the whereabouts of Kausar Bi. SC directs Gujarat state CID to conduct a probe in the case. April 30, 2007: Gujarat government files a report before the Supreme Court stating Kausar Bi is dead and her body burnt and disposed of. January 2010: Supreme Court hands over the probe to CBI. July 23, 2010: CBI files charge sheet against 38 persons including the then Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah, the then Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria and senior IPS officials. July 25, 2010: CBI arrests Amit Shah in the case. September 27, 2012: Supreme Court transfers trial in the case from Gujarat to Mumbai as sought by the CBI to ensure a fair trial. December 30, 2014: A special CBI court in Mumbai discharges Amit Shah. Fifteen other accused including Kataria and senior IPS officials also discharged subsequently. November 2015: Shaikh's brother Rubabuddin approaches the Bombay High Court to challenge Amit Shah's discharge. However, the same month, he tells the HC that he does not wish to pursue the case and withdraws his petition. October 2017: Special CBI court in Mumbai frames charges against 22 accused. November 2017: Special CBI Judge S J Sharma commences trial in the case. Prosecution examines 210 witnesses, of which 92 turned hostile. September 2018: Bombay HC upholds discharge granted to senior police officers D G Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian, NK Amin, Vipul Aggarwal, Dinesh MN and Dalpat Singh Rathod. December 5, 2018: Court closes the case completion of final arguments by prosecution and defence lawyers. December 21, 2018: Court acquits all 22 accused in the case after observing that prosecution failed to establish charges against them.

Timeline: Sohrabuddin Shaikh 'fake encounter' case

A special CBI court hearing the Sohrabuddin Shaikh "fake encounter"&nbsp;case said that all the witnesses and proofs were not satisfactory to prove conspiracy and murder.

The court observed that "circumstantial evidence were&nbsp;not substantial". All twenty-two accused in the case were acquitted by the court.

The special CBI court in its verdict said the government machinery and prosecution had put in a lot of effort with two hundred and ten witnesses brought but "satisfactory evidence didn't come and witnesses turned hostile".&nbsp;

"It is not the fault of the prosecutor if witnesses didn't&nbsp;speak," the court said.&nbsp;"I am helpless," the special CBI judge SJ Sharma observed while referring to witnesses turning hostile and proof not being satisfactory against the twenty-two accused in the case.

Sohrabuddin Shaikh&nbsp;was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in 2005. Several police officers were on trial in the case. Most of the accused were junior-level police officials from Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Sixteen of the thirty-eight accused in the chargesheet&nbsp;filed&nbsp;earlier by the CBI were already acquitted due to lack of evidence which included BJP chief Amit Shah, the then Rajasthan home minister Gulabchand Kataria, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande and former senior Gujarat police officer D G Vanzara.

According to the CBI, Shaikh and his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Prajapati were abducted by Gujarat police from a bus when they were on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra from Hyderabad on the night of November 22 and 23, 2005.

Shaikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter on November 26, 2005 near Ahmedabad. His wife was killed three days later and her body was disposed away, the CBI had said.

A year later, on December 27, 2006, Prajapati was also shot dead in an alleged fake encounter by allegedly by Gujarat and Rajasthan police near Chapri on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.

A special CBI court hearing the Sohrabuddin Shaikh "fake encounter" case said that all the witnesses and proofs were not satisfactory to prove conspiracy and murder.

A special CBI court hearing the Sohrabuddin Shaikh "fake encounter" case said that all the witnesses and proofs were not satisfactory to prove conspiracy and murder. The court observed that "circumstantial evidence were not substantial". All twenty-two accused in the case were acquitted by the court. The special CBI court in its verdict said the government machinery and prosecution had put in a lot of effort with two hundred and ten witnesses brought but "satisfactory evidence didn't come and witnesses turned hostile". "It is not the fault of the prosecutor if witnesses didn't speak," the court said. "I am helpless," the special CBI judge SJ Sharma observed while referring to witnesses turning hostile and proof not being satisfactory against the twenty-two accused in the case. Sohrabuddin Shaikh was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in 2005. Several police officers were on trial in the case. Most of the accused were junior-level police officials from Gujarat and Rajasthan. Sixteen of the thirty-eight accused in the chargesheet filed earlier by the CBI were already acquitted due to lack of evidence which included BJP chief Amit Shah, the then Rajasthan home minister Gulabchand Kataria, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande and former senior Gujarat police officer D G Vanzara. According to the CBI, Shaikh and his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Prajapati were abducted by Gujarat police from a bus when they were on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra from Hyderabad on the night of November 22 and 23, 2005. Shaikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter on November 26, 2005 near Ahmedabad. His wife was killed three days later and her body was disposed away, the CBI had said. A year later, on December 27, 2006, Prajapati was also shot dead in an alleged fake encounter by allegedly by Gujarat and Rajasthan police near Chapri on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.

Sohrabuddin Shaikh 'fake encounter' case: Proof not satisfactory, says CBI court; all 22 accused acquitted

A day after CBI chief investigation officer (CIO) Sandeep Tamgade in the alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Shaikh and Tulsiram Prajapati &nbsp;said that &nbsp;BJP chief Amit Shah is among the ''key conspirator'' in the case, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said it's completely appropriate for the BJP to have such a man as its President.

''The Gita says you can never escape the truth and so it has always been. Sandeep Tamgadge has called Amit Shah a “key conspirator” in his testimony. It's completely appropriate for the BJP to have such a man as its President,'' tweeted the Congress president.

"From the investigation done by us, we found the principal conspirators were Amit Shah, D G Vanzara (former Deputy Inspector-General Gujarat Police), Rajkumar Pandian (SP, Intelligence Bureau) and M N Dinesh (IPS officer, Rajasthan Police)," Tamgade said.

All four have been discharged by the trial court in the case.

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The Gita says you can never escape the truth and so it has always been. 
 
Sandeep Tamgadge has called Amit Shah a “key conspirator” in his testimony. 
 
It's completely appropriate for the BJP to have such a man as its President. <a href="https://t.co/yDDvf27zce">https://t.co/yDDvf27zce</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1065570350208098304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Tamgade, then Superintendent of Police (CBI), had prepared a supplementary charge sheet in the Sohrabuddin case and the main charge sheet in the Tulsiram case. Both cases are being tried together before special CBI judge S J Sharma in Delhi.&nbsp;

A Nagaland cadre IPS officer, Tamgadge investigated both the cases involving the killings of Sohrabuddin and Prajapati allegedly in staged encounters.

The CBI had earlier indicted and arrested Shah of being a "part of the larger conspiracy to kill Sohrabuddin, subsequently his wife and finally Prajapati. But he was later discharged of the charges by a CBI court in December 2014 months after the Narendra Modi-led BJP came to power at the Centre. 
&nbsp;

A day after CBI chief investigation officer (CIO) Sandeep Tamgade in the alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Shaikh and Tulsiram Prajapati said that BJP chief Amit Shah is among the ''key conspirator'' in the case, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said it's completely appropriate for the BJP to have such a man as its President.

A day after CBI chief investigation officer (CIO) Sandeep Tamgade in the alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Shaikh and Tulsiram Prajapati said that BJP chief Amit Shah is among the ''key conspirator'' in the case, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said it's completely appropriate for the BJP to have such a man as its President. ''The Gita says you can never escape the truth and so it has always been. Sandeep Tamgadge has called Amit Shah a “key conspirator” in his testimony. It's completely appropriate for the BJP to have such a man as its President,'' tweeted the Congress president. "From the investigation done by us, we found the principal conspirators were Amit Shah, D G Vanzara (former Deputy Inspector-General Gujarat Police), Rajkumar Pandian (SP, Intelligence Bureau) and M N Dinesh (IPS officer, Rajasthan Police)," Tamgade said. All four have been discharged by the trial court in the case. The Gita says you can never escape the truth and so it has always been. Sandeep Tamgadge has called Amit Shah a “key conspirator” in his testimony. It's completely appropriate for the BJP to have such a man as its President. https://t.co/yDDvf27zce — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 22, 2018 × Tamgade, then Superintendent of Police (CBI), had prepared a supplementary charge sheet in the Sohrabuddin case and the main charge sheet in the Tulsiram case. Both cases are being tried together before special CBI judge S J Sharma in Delhi. A Nagaland cadre IPS officer, Tamgadge investigated both the cases involving the killings of Sohrabuddin and Prajapati allegedly in staged encounters. The CBI had earlier indicted and arrested Shah of being a "part of the larger conspiracy to kill Sohrabuddin, subsequently his wife and finally Prajapati. But he was later discharged of the charges by a CBI court in December 2014 months after the Narendra Modi-led BJP came to power at the Centre.

Appropriate for BJP to have 'key conspirator' as its president: Rahul Gandhi

The Supreme Court will&nbsp;continue hearing three pleas seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the death of special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge BH&nbsp;Loya on Monday.

The petitions will be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra.

The apex court had earlier asked the Maharashtra Government to submit the postmortem report of the CBI judge, who had died in alleged suspicious circumstances in 2014, citing that the &quot;matter was very serious.&quot;

As per reports, Maharashtra-based journalist B.S. Lone and activist Tehseen Poonavala had filed independent pleas seeking a fair probe into the death of Justice Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, involving various police officers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah.

In a press conference held on January 12, Justices Madan B&nbsp;Lokur, Kurien Joseph, Ranjan Gogoi and Jasti Chelameswar questioned the conduct of the CJI, alleging that selective Benches were being appointed to preside over certain cases in the apex court.

Justice Loya&#39;s death is one among the certain cases hinted by the four judges.

The petitions will be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra

The Supreme Court will continue hearing three pleas seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the death of special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge BH Loya on Monday. The petitions will be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra. The apex court had earlier asked the Maharashtra Government to submit the postmortem report of the CBI judge, who had died in alleged suspicious circumstances in 2014, citing that the "matter was very serious." As per reports, Maharashtra-based journalist B.S. Lone and activist Tehseen Poonavala had filed independent pleas seeking a fair probe into the death of Justice Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, involving various police officers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah. In a press conference held on January 12, Justices Madan B Lokur, Kurien Joseph, Ranjan Gogoi and Jasti Chelameswar questioned the conduct of the CJI, alleging that selective Benches were being appointed to preside over certain cases in the apex court. Justice Loya's death is one among the certain cases hinted by the four judges.

Supreme Court to hear plea seeking SIT probe into Justice Loya case