Gujarat fake kills: Will truth emerge?

Investigations into the mysterious disappearance of Kausar Bi, the wife of Sohrabuddin Sheikh who was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in Ahmedabad in 2005 after being dubbed a terrorist by police, could throw up some grisly facts.

A meticulous probe by Gujarat's CID (Crime) has indicated that Kausar could have been killed at an isolated place near state capital Gandhinagar and her remains burnt near Ilol town of Sabarkantha district, the native place of IPS officer D G Vanjhara who was arrested with two other IPS officers in connection with Sheikh's killing, sources said.

The CID has seized two vehicles -- a Toyota Qualis and a towing crane -- that are suspected to have been used in the operation at some point of time, they said.

The car is suspected to have been used to transport Sheikh, Kausar and their friend Tulsiram Prajapati (who was also killed in an encounter) from Hyderabad to Ahmedabad.

Investigations have also revealed the use of a bunglow on the outskirts of Gandhinagar, where Kausar was allegedly kept after Sheikh was killed, the sources said.

The bungalow's owner and watchman were questioned by the investigating team.

Some links of the investigation also indicate that a certain amount of wood was purchased from a timber mart in Sabarmati area of the city and was transported to Ilol town, the source said.

Police are trying to establish if the purchase was made at the behest of any of the police officers involved in the fake encounter case and if yes then what was it used for.

What went wrong with this encounter case is that there were far too many evidences which the erring officers had to remove to prove that Sohrabuddin was a terrorist, senior officers say.

The Gujarat CID (crime) had on Friday made an admission to the Supreme Court that Kausar Bi, whose real name is Shehnabi, and who was picked up along with Sohrabuddin in November 2005, could have been killed.

The apex court has asked the CID, which is probing the fake encounter case, to inform by tomorrow if Kausar Bi can be produced and then it would decide on a petition filed in this regard by the Centre.

Moreover, a petition seeking a CBI probe into the matter is also likely to be heard on Monday in the Apex Court.

A senior state Intelligence Bureau official said Sohrabuddin was a criminal involved in extortion from businessmen in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and also Gujarat but he was not such a big threat nor was a terrorist, as claimed by Vanjhara and his team.

The three arrested IPS officers -- D G Vanjhara (DIG border range), Rajkumar Pandian (SP, Intelligence Bureau) and Dinesh M N (SP Alwar, Rajasthan) -- are presently in custody of the CID (crime) till May 1 and are being taken to various places as part of the probe.

Police has also sealed some of Vanjhara's houses and are looking in to all of the three officers' phone records.

Meanwhile, the fake encounter case is also fast taking a political colour with Union Textile Minister Shankersinh Vaghela seeking Modi's ouster and also the removal of his Cabinet minister Amit Shah.

Vaghela, who was in town on Saturday for a textile industry-related function, also demanded a CBI probe into the fake encounter case and alleged that the Sohrabuddin and several other persons were killed in a similar fashion at the behest of Modi.