Bombay HC to begin final hearing in December on appeals against acquittal in Sohrabuddin Shaikh case
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court will hear final petitions against the acquittal of all 22 suspects in Sohrabuddin Shaikh's alleged staged encounter in December. The appeals were filed in 2019 by Shaikh’s brothers, Rubabuddin and Nayabuddin. They termed the trial “flawed” and challenged the clearance granted to police personnel from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.
A division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad noted on Wednesday that the matter had remained pending for years, with only four hearings held in the past three years, as reported by The Indian Express . The bench observed that some of the acquitted accused had not appeared before the court during these hearings.
The court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation, which probed the case, to issue fresh notices to those who have not been appearing through counsel. The notices are to be served through officers in charge of the concerned police stations. The matter is expected to be heard on December 5.
A special CBI court in Mumbai acquitted all 22 suspects in the deaths of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kauser Bi, and his assistant Tulsiram Prajapati on December 21, 2018. The trial court ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove accusations of conspiracy, murder and evidence destruction. He stated that the case failed primarily because key witnesses became hostile and 92 of the 210 witnesses examined during the trial recanted their previous claims.
The case dates back to November 23, 2005, when Shaikh, then wanted in several cases, Kauser Bi and Prajapati were allegedly abducted from a luxury bus travelling from Hyderabad to Sangli. According to the CBI’s case, Shaikh and Kauser Bi were taken to Gujarat, while Prajapati was later shown as arrested in Rajasthan. Shaikh was killed soon after in what investigators alleged was a staged encounter, followed weeks later by Prajapati’s killing. The CBI had also told the trial court that Kauser Bi was murdered and her body disposed of.
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MP: Protest over Dhoudan dam continues for eighth day, work stalled
Chhatarpur (MP) (PTI): Tribals displaced due to the proposed Dhoudan dam under the ambitious Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya Pradesh continued their protest for the eighth consecutive day on Sunday, halting work at the site.
Villagers affected by the project in Panna district, including Majhgawan and Runj, remained stationed at the construction site pressing for their demands.
Protesters have been demanding a compensation package of Rs 12.5 lakh for displaced families, similar to what they claim has been sought for those affected by other dams in the region.
Panna Additional Collector Alok Marko and SDM Satish Nagvanshi reached the protest site during the day and held detailed discussions with the agitators.
The officials said that the compensation had been disbursed in accordance with government guidelines and the land acquisition law.
"In the Runj project, 99 per cent payment has been completed, while more than 90 per cent compensation has been paid in villages affected by the Ken-Betwa project, including Kateri, Baleta, Gadra and Koni. If any name has been left out, we are ready to conduct a fresh survey based on documents," Nagvanshi said.
The administration had taken along a representative of the displaced persons to provide photocopies of records, he said.
Protesters are demanding that the earlier compensation package of Rs 5 lakh for Majhgawan and Vishramganj dams be increased to Rs 12.5 lakh, at par with that of the Dhodan dam displaced persons. The administration, however, has termed the demand "policy-wise impossible", as the relevant awards had been passed years ago.
Social activist Amit Bhatnagar, who is leading the agitation, rejected the administration's claims, alleging that only 60 per cent of the affected people have received compensation and there are major discrepancies.
"If gram sabhas and procedures have been conducted constitutionally, we will end the protest, but we will not part with even an inch of land through unconstitutional means," he said.
As the protest site falls within the core area of the Panna Tiger Reserve, the administration has tightened security arrangements.
Collector Parth Jaiswal appealed to the protesters to maintain law and order in the restricted zone of the tiger reserve and resolve the issue through dialogue.
He added that a survey is underway, and no eligible person will be deprived of compensation.
A team of doctors arrived at the site to examine the protesters, who were camping there with essential supplies, but returned without conducting check-ups.
