Sadik encounter case: Court notice to CBI on bail plea of cop

A Central Bureau of Investigation court in Ahmedabad on Monday issued notice to the investigating agency on a bail plea filed by retired police officer I A Syed, an accused in the 2003 Sadik Jamal alleged fake encounter case.

After the former DySP filed the plea for regular bail on medical grounds, the CBI sessions judge C R Thakkar issued notice to the agency and posted the matter for hearing on March 29.

Syed has been lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail here since December 2012.

Seeking the relief, Syed's advocate Amit Nair argued that the applicant was a senior citizen and has been suffering from various age-related illness.

"He (Syed) has been suffering from ailments related to heart and kidney and medical officers concerned have issued certificates regarding this," Nair told the court.

Sadik, a resident of Bhavnagar city, was killed by a crime branch team allegedly in a staged encounter near Galaxy cinema on the outskirts of the city on January 13, 2003. According to Gujarat police, Sadik was a terrorist who had entered the city on a mission to eliminate Chief Minister Narendra Modi and VHP leader Pravin Togadia.

The Gujarat high court in 2011 handed over the investigation into the case to CBI on a petition filed by Sadik's brother Shabir Jamal.

On December 21, 2012, CBI filed chargesheet against 8 accused.

CBI had arrested nine persons including eight Gujarat cops in connection with the case.

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