AHMEDABAD: One more police officer of the Gujarat cadre has been arrested in connection with the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.
Inspector V.A. Rathod, who was allegedly involved in burning the body of Sohrabuddin’s wife Kausarbi and who helped in the disposal of the remains to wipe out evidence,
was the 14th accused police officer arrested in the fake encounter case.
Rathod was earlier named witness by the CID (Crime) but the Gujarat High Court disagreed. It directed the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court to name Rathod an accused and put him in judicial custody along with the other 13, including the former Deputy Inspector-General D.G. Vanzara, the prime accused.
Rathod sought time for surrendering, saying the High Court’s order to treat him as an accused was challenged in the Supreme Court.
But Chief Metropolitan Magistrate K.J. Upadhyaya disallowed his petition. For, the apex court, while fixing the next hearing for July 15, did not stay the High Court order.
Rathod accordingly surrendered and was sent to the Sabarmati central jail.
Mr. Upadhyaya also rejected Rathod’s bail plea as well as his request to send him to any jail other than the Sabarmati jail. He feared a threat to his life from the other accused lodged there, as he had earlier agreed to turn approver.
In a signed statement on June 21 last, Rathod admitted that he had gone to Illol, native village of Vanzara in Sabarkantha district, where Kausarbi’s body was allegedly disposed of, but claimed that he was not present when it was burnt. However, several of the accused, including Mr. Vanzara himself, petitioned the High Court that Rathod be named an accused, and not a witness.
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