Sohrabuddin killed Haren Pandya on Vanzara's orders: Witness tells court
Mumbai : A witness in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh alleged fake encounter case told a trial court here Saturday that Shaikh had killed former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya.
The killing had allegedly been ordered by former Gujarat IPS officer D G Vanzara, the witness further claimed.
Pandya was murdered in Ahmedabad in 2003.
The witness -- name not disclosed -- said he met Shaikh in 2002 and became good friends with him and his wife Kausar Bi and his associate Tulsi Prajapati.
"During that time, Sohrabuddin told me he had got money from D G Vanzara to kill Gujarat's home minister Haren Pandya and he completed the job. I then told him that what he did was wrong and he had killed a good person," the witness told the court.
The witness further said that in 2005 he was arrested by Rajasthan police and lodged at Udaipur jail where he met Prajapati.
"Prajapati told me that the Gujarat police killed Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausar Bi," the witness said, deposing before special CBI Judge S J Sharma.
The testimony will continue next week.
Shaikh and his wife were killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2005 by Gujarat police. Prajapati was later killed in another alleged fake encounter by Gujarat and Rajasthan police.
Of the 38 people charged by the CBI for the two alleged fake encounters, 16 were discharged by the trial court. Those discharged included BJP chief Amit Shah, Vanzara and all senior officers of Gujarat and Rajasthan police.
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No contract was signed with Muzarabani for PSL stint, but verbal agreement was reached: PCB
Karachi (PTI): The Pakistan Cricket Board admitted that no contract was ever sent to Blessing Muzarabani to play in the PSL but insisted that a firm verbal agreement was reached with the Zimbabwe pacer and he had breached the trust while joining the Indian Premier League.
The PCB recently imposed a two-year ban on Muzarabani from playing in the PSL claiming he breached a contract with Islamabad United and joined IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders.
The fast bowler’s agent, Rob Humphries tore into the PCB on Sunday in a social media post for the ban and claimed his client neither took part in the PSL players auction nor signed any contract with Islamabad United.
Humphries said the ban was excessive and unjustified.
But sources in the PCB while conceding no contract was signed with Rabbani claimed that a clear verbal agreement between both the parties was reached.
The source said this was also clear in the PCB announcement about the ban that despite a clear offer and an unequivocal acceptance of essential terms, the player chose to disregard these obligations in favour of a conflicting arrangement.
The PCB source said once essential terms — including remuneration and structure — are agreed upon through written correspondence, a binding obligation is formed.
But Humphries said after talks began with Islamabad United they had made it clear that unless they had a contract they couldn’t apply for an NOC from the Zimbabwe Cricket.
“We've remained quiet publicly over the last six weeks because we did not wish to create or cause anymore animosity for the Pakistan Super League/Pakistan Cricket Board than they had already created for themselves,” Humphries’ statement said.
"[On] 13 February, Blessing [was] approached by Islamabad United about a playing opportunity for the 2026 PSL. The deal [was] agreed subject to obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Zimbabwe Cricket.
“An NOC cannot be obtained without a contract from the PSL. Islamabad United/PSL announced the signing to the world via social media,” it said.
Humphries further urged the PCB to gracefully withdraw the ban and accept this situation risen out of an administrative error at their end.
Muzarabani was taken by Islamabad as a replacement for West Indian pacer Shamar Joseph for USD 40,000.
