Sohrabuddin ‘fake’ encounter case: Court frames charges against 16

The court allowed the exemption application filed by then Deputy S P of Gujarat, Ramanbhai Patel, on medical grounds and issued arrest warrant against two accused — Rajendra Jirawala and then Police Sub-Inspector of Gujarat police Ashish Pandya.

A SPECIAL court framed charges against 16 accused in the alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.

On Tuesday, each of the 16 men were present in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges including murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence. Special CBI prosecutor B P Raju opened the case Tuesday and pointed out the role played by each accused based on the statements of witnesses and documents from the chargesheet.

“Both prosecution and defence are heard. A case is made out on the basis… and there is sufficient material to frame charges,” the court said.

The court allowed the exemption application filed by then Deputy S P of Gujarat, Ramanbhai Patel, on medical grounds and issued arrest warrant against two accused — Rajendra Jirawala and then Police Sub-Inspector of Gujarat police Ashish Pandya — as they failed to appear before the court.

The court will decide on the framing of charges against seven persons on the next hearing. “For the seven accused, the other 16 accused who are present today and are willing to frame charges against them cannot be sent back especially when they are coming from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh,” the court said.

The other accused are Mukesh Kumar, Narainsinh Harisinh, Himanshu Singh Rao, Shyam Singh Charan, Ajay Kumar Parmar, Santram Sharma, Vijay Kumar Rathod, Ghattamaneni Rao, Narayan Chauhan, Yudhvirsingh Chauhan, Kartarsingh Jat, Jethusingh Solanki, Kiransingh Chauhan and Karansingh Sisodia.