Wife of Sohrabuddin Sheikh might have been killed: Gujarat govt

April 27: After the arrest of three IPS officers allegedly involved in a fake encounter by Gujarat Police, state government suspects that the missing wife of the victim might have been killed.

While pleading the case in Supreme Court, Gujarat Government counsel KTS Tulsi, made the revelation during the hearing, here today.

The Supreme Court said it will pass its order on Monday on a petition seeking a direction for Gujarat government to produce the woman, who went missing after her husband was killed in a fake encounter in November, 2005. The court will pass its order after receiving a report from the Gujarat Government and a lot now depends on whether it would be possible to produce Kauser Bi, wife of Soharabuddin Sheikh, who was branded as a Lashkar militant and slained in an encounter.

Attorney General, Milon Kumar Banerjee, appearing before a Bench headed by Justice Tarun Chatterjee supported the report prepared by Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanim for holding an enquiry by the CBI.

However, his submission was opposed by KTS Tulsi who said that the state has already taken action and three senior police officers were arrested as a result of in-depth and painstaking investigation. He blamed congress led UPA government and said that the Centre should not be allowed to 'play politics' in criminal cases. About the fate of Kausar Bi he said: “There is fair suspicion that wife of Soharabuddin may have been killed�.

While reiterating its resolution as not to spare anybody who is found guilty, Gujarat Government conceded that it was unable to produce the missing lady.

Earlier, Rubabuddin Sheikh, brother of the alleged LeT operative had filed a petition seeking CBI probe into the incident and a direction for production of his sister-in-law who had gone missing after the November 22-23, 2005 encounter.

The arrest of top officials was made by CID (Crime) in connection with the death of Sohrabuddin Sheikh who was slained in a gun battle on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on November 26, 2005 during a joint operation by Gujarat's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Rajasthan Police.