Handcuffs await Gujarat cops, ex-minister

Now that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is all set to begin the probe into the Tulsiram Prajapati encounter case, the arrest of former minister of state for home, Amit Shah, is being considered as a strong possibility. For, the CBI believes that Shah played a key role in the encounter, claim sources.

Besides, DG Vanzara, Vipul Agrawal, Dinesh MN, Rajkumar Pandiyan - all suspended IPS officers - and Ashish Pandya, sub inspector, are also likely to be among those who will be arrested.

The CBI was given a free hand by the Supreme Court to investigate the controversial encounter of Prajapati. The encounter happened on December 28, 2006 near Chhapri village in Banaskantha district.

According to sources connected with the case, the fresh investigation by the CBI may end up opening a can of worms and also expose the alleged role played by Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan police. They said it may also throw light on the role of some politicians in the encounter.

Sources said the CBI will need to question Shah, Vanzara, Dinesh and Pandiyan, all accused in the Sohrabuddin case, to know more about the Prajapati encounter.

Shah is out on a conditional bail and is out of Gujarat, while Vanzara has been lodged in the Sabarmati jail for the past four years. Both in Sohrabuddin encounter case. Similarly, sources said that Agrawal, then DSP of Banaskantha, and Pandya, then sub-inspector, who gunned down Tulsi, are also top priority for the CBI.

Agrawal and Pandya were arrested by the state CID in connection with the Tulsi case.

Sources said the CID sped up the probe in Tulsi case after the CBI arrested top police officials in Sohrabuddin case. Because, sources said, the CID thought the central agency might take up the Tulsi probe too.

CBI officials told DNA that they had started preparations for the Tulsi case and would soon lodge a fresh FIR against the accused.

However, officials refused to divulge the names that will figure in the FIR. The CBI was given the Tulsi probe given the 'larger conspiracy' and the role played by police personnel of not only of Gujarat but also of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

According to the CBI, the Tulsi case is linked to the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case as Tulsi was a close aide of Sohrabuddin and was gunned down by the Gujarat police to cover up the murder of Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausarbi.

It was Tulsi who tipped off the police about Sohrabuddin's whereabouts. Tulsi was later eliminated by police as they feared that he could reveal everything about the Sohrabuddin encounter.