Ahmedabad: A petition seeking CBI probe into
the death of three persons in alleged police encounters in
Porbander in 1996-97 has been filed in Gujarat High court,
spelling trouble for IPS officer Satish Verma, as he was the
Superintendent of Police there when the incidents took place.
Verma was member of the Special Investigation Team (SIT)
which recently concluded that 2004 police encounter of Ishrat
Jahan and three others was fake.
The petition was filed yesterday by Hiralal Shial,
brother of one of the deceased persons, urging Gujarat High
Court to order a CBI probe into these cases on the ground that
the state police did not conduct investigation even after
specific directions were issued by High Court in 1998.
Seeking CBI probe into the death of the three persons,
Shial termed the case to be rarest of the rare where Gujarat
Police failed to complete investigation in the matter even
after 13 years and despite intervention of the High Court.
After deaths of three persons in separate incidents, a
group known as Action Committee for Prevention of Police
Atrocities had moved High Court in 1997 and sought a CBI probe
in the matter.
It had alleged that the the persons were liquidated
by police under stewardship of then Porbander SP Satish Verma.
The High court, however, did not allow CBI probe into it
and asked IG of state CID to conduct investigations in
six months.
But with the investigation still not complete, Shial has
filed petition seeking CBI probe in all cases.
As per case details, Shial`s brother Jasu Shial was shot
by police allegedly in self-defence after he fired at them
when they went to arrest him in connection with several cases
against him.
Another person Ranmal Ram Aher was also allegedly shot
by police in self defence after he opened fire from a revolver
when the police had taken him to recover fire arms and
ammunitions that he had hidden. Ranmal was an accused in Arms
act and under TADA.
While, one Naran Bandhiya Aher was arrested in January
1996 in connection with a case in Junagadh under Arm act and
TADA. As per police version, Naran had ran away from police
custody and later allegedly committed suicide by hanging
himself from a tree.
PTI
