Sohrabuddin Shaikh case acquittal: High Court admits appeal of brothers of deceased

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court Monday admitted appeals filed by brothers of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, who was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in 2005, challenging acquittal of the 22 persons, including police officers from Gujarat and Rajasthan, by a special court in 2018.

In its verdict, the special CBI court had observed that the prosecution had failed to establish a cogent case to suggest that there had been any conspiracy to kill Shaikh and others -- his wife Kausar Bi and his associate Tulsi Prajapati -- and that the accused persons had any role in it.

The court had also stated that there was no denying that Shaikh and the others had been killed.


As per the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Shaikh, a gangster, and Kausar Bi were killed separately in November 2005 by the Gujarat ATS, and Prajapati in 2006 by the Rajasthan and Gujarat police, for allegedly being a witness to the fake encounter.

The appeals challenging the special court order were filed by Sohrabuddin's brothers Rubabuddin Shaikh and Nayabuddin Shaikh in April this year.

A division bench of Justices I A Mahanty and A M Badar Monday admitted these appeals and issued notices to the acquitted persons.

The bench will take up the appeals for final hearing in due course of time.

Of the acquitted persons, 21 are junior-level police officials from Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The other was the owner of a farm house in Gujarat where Shaikh and Kausar Bi were illegally detained before they were allegedly killed.