The special court in Mumbai has asked the state government of Maharashtra to file detailed report on the security arrangements made for the protection of nine accused in the Soharabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.
The state of Gujarat has moved a prayer in the additional chief metropolitan magistrate court to transfer all the accused back to the jail in Gujarat since the intelligence bureau of state government has received an input that the members of the banned organization Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) have been planning to assassinate the accused cops.
The Arthur road jail authorities, where the 26/11 accused Ajmal Kasab was kept, have already expressed inability to keep the accused in custody. According to the report sent to the special court, the jail authorities have cited the presence of number gangsters from different underworld gangs and also of the activists of SIMI as the reason for its inability. Currently all the accused have been kept at the Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai and the court has also sought the report from the Taloja jail authorities about the status of security arrangements.
Earlier SN Raj, counsel for the state of Gujarat requested the court to transfer all the accused to the jail in Valsad in Gujarat state. Thought the request was denied, the special court allowed availing homemade food and mineral water to three accused, namely DG Vanjara, RK Pandian and NH Dabhi. “We will wait for the report from the state government, depending on which further decision of moving them to Gujarat or to keep them in Maharashtra will be taken,” said Advocate Vinodkumar Gajjar, counsel for Mr. Vanjara. The court will decide on whether to transfer the accused back to Gujarat or not on December 7, after receiving both the reports.
The Soharabuddin fake murder case has been transferred to Mumbai following Supreme Court order to shift the case to Mumbai from Gujarat. Out of 11 accused police officers who are under the judicial custody two officers namely, IPS officer Abhay Chudasama and DSP Narendra Amin could not come to Mumbai due to ill health.
