CBI files charges in Dara Singh encounter case

The Central Bureau of Investigation has accused 14 policemen and two individuals for the alleged fake encounter of Dara Singh in its charge sheet filed on Friday. Dara Singh was killed in 2006 by Rajasthan police's special operations group. The charge-sheet also states that probe against former state minister Rajendra Singh Rathore is still on.

In its charge sheet filed before a special court in Jaipur, the CBI slapped charges of murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping on the accused in the fake encounter case. "The name of a former minister of Rajasthan has been mentioned in the charge sheet, but not as an accused. His role is still under investigation," CBI sources said.

In the charge-sheet, the CBI has accused two Indian Police Service officers -- Additional Director General of Police A K Jain and Inspector General A Ponnuchami -- besides Additional Superintendent of Police Arsad Ali, Inspectors Nisar Khan and Naresh Sharma, Assistant Sub-Inspector Surendra Singh, Sub-Inspector Satyanarayan Godara and seven other policemen for the killing.

The CBI has already arrested five policemen including Ponnuchamy, Khan, Sharma, Godara and Assistant Sub-Inspector Surendra Singh.

The Special Operations Group killed Dara Singh in an alleged encounter on October 23, 2006 in Rangendra Prasad Nagar area on the outskirts of Jaipur. The police had claimed that Dara was fleeing from custody when he was shot.

Acting on a petition filed by Dara's widow, Sushila, that her husband was killed in cold blood, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI inquiry into the case.

Dara's family members have pointed fingers at a senior state BJP leader claiming that he was targeted because of personal enmity. Dara was facing several cases including smuggling and attempt to murder.