AHMEDABAD, June 30: The CBI probing the 2003 encounter of Sadiq Jamal, who was gunned down by Gujarat Police for allegedly being on a mission to kill chief minister Narendra Modi, today sought a three-month extension, second so far, from the high court to conclude the investigations.
CBI chief investigating officer and Dy SP Satish Kumar Rathi today filed an application, seeking additional time, in the registry of the high court. The plea is likely to come up for hearing early next week.
“The investigations not only span across the country but abroad as well. The references have been made to Interpol and protector of Emigrants Department, Government of India, about visit of Jamal to Dubai and reports are awaited,” CBI said in the application.
Justifying the extension, the central agency said that it has examined more than 200 people during the course of investigation and has gathered mobile phone call records, but still has to collect certain call data which is nine year old, which is time consuming.
The CBI informed the court that it found the reports of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Ahmedabad, and Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in connection with the ongoing probe “contradictory” and requires DNA testing, which needs time.
Sadiq Jamal, a resident of Bhavnagar city, was killed in an encounter by the Crime Branch officials near Galaxy Cinema area in Ahmedabad on January 13, 2003.
Police had claimed that Sadiq had entered the city with the motive to eliminate Modi and VHP leader Dr Pravin Togadia.
The high court on June 16, 2011 ordered a CBI probe into the encounter after the deceased’s brother Sabbir Jamal moved a petition in 2007 stating that the killing was staged.
However, the CBI moved the HC in December 2011 seeking more time to complete probe claiming that the state government had not provided any facilities and infrastructure to the agency.
The high court in February granted a six-month extension to CBI and asked the agency to complete its probe not later then June 30, 2012. (PTI)
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