The central bureau of investigation (CBI) has sent Inspector General of Police and joint director, CBI, RP Agrawal, to supervise the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case along with DIG of police P Kandaswamy.
Till now, Kandaswamy was the only officer supervising the investigation in the encounter case while Amitabh Thakur and Binay Kumar were its investigating officers. Agrawal is also supervising the sensational Bhanwari Devi case of Rajasthan. It was Kandaswamy who had arrested former Gujarat minister Amit Shah in the case.
Agrawal, an IPS officer of 1986 batch, has been in the CBI since January 2010 and is based in Delhi. He was assigned the task of supervising the Sohrab case a few days back, a senior official of the CBI said.
Though no officer was willing to disclose the reason for including Agrawal in the team investigating the Sohrab case, sources said the slow progress in the investigation in the last few months may have led to Agarwal's appointment. The sources said Agrawal's entry as supervisor may be meant to limit Kandaswamy's authority.
"Agarwal will be examining all the developments that have taken place so far and will also decide on the future course of investigation in the encounter case," a source said.
Meanwhile, Agarwal, along with other officials in the probe team, is gearing up to present its side in the Supreme Court during the hearing of its plea opposing the bail granted to Shah. A source said that currently the lawyer for the defence is arguing its case, after which the amicus curiae will present his views. "The CBI will submit its arguments only after that and the agency is getting ready for this," the source said.
The CBI is investigating the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case since on January 12, 2010. It had arrested suspended IPS officer Abhay Chudasma and Gujarat minister of state for home Amit Shah in the case. Shah was later granted bail by the Gujarat high court.
