CBI won't let IPS Satish Verma see Ishrat chargesheet

AHMEDABAD: The Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI), which had sought assistance from IPS officer Satish Verma to investigate the 2004 Ishrat Jahan encounter case, objected on Monday to the former investigator's demand to inspect the second chargesheet filed in February 2014.

In 2012, CBI had repeatedly moved the Gujarat HC to seek help of Special Investigation Team ( SIT) member Verma because the state government was not relieving him for the investigation.

But when Verma urged the special CBI court to allow him to see papers of the chargesheet, which had indicted four Central IB officials, the central probe agency submitted that the former investigator in the case had no locus standi to ask for inspection of the chargesheet.

Verma sought inspection of the second chargesheet after the court refused to supply its certified copy on the ground that it was not a part of the court record.

The second chargesheet in the encounter case, of which the court has not taken cognizance because of absence of sanction by the Centre for prosecution of the IB officers, has become important after David Coleman Headley's claim that Ishrat was a terrorist.

The only evidence that suggests her alleged involvement in terrorist activity is the input supplied by the intelligence agency.

Before additional chief judicial magistrate (CBI) R D Vyas, Verma cited certain legal provisions and argued that as a member of the SIT, he was one of the complainants in this case, and thus he has the standing to ask for inspection. Opposing Verma's plea, CBI's counsel, R C Kodekar, submitted that the law says that only those who are party to the court proceedings can be allowed to inspect the documents. After hearing the arguments, the court fixed March 28 for order on the issue.