Sohrabuddin encounter: SC rejects petition challenging discharge of Amit Shah

In a major relief for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah, the Supreme Court on Monday rejected the petition against his discharge in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.

The petition filed by social activist Harsh Mander had sought quashing of the December 30, 2014 order of a Mumbai sessions court giving clean chit to Shah in the case.

During the hearing, the Apex Court said that Harsh Mandar has no locus to challenge Shah's discharge.

Congress leader and senior advocate Kapil Sibbal appearing for Harsh argued that in the matters concerning to public interest like this one, an individual can be an intervener.

Appearing for Shah, Solicitor General Harish Salve cited many judges by the top before the bench that a third party cannot intervene in a criminal case.

The CBI had files a chargesheet against now, and now with the Supreme Court's ruling, the BJP Chief gets discharged.

In 2014, Shah was found innocent of charges that he ordered the "fake encounter" that led to Sohrabuddin Sheikh being shot dead in 2005 by the police which reported to him as Home Minister of Gujarat.

Earlier Mander had approached the High Court against the sessions court order but his petition was dismissed in March this year, following which, he approached the SC challenging the order.

Sohrabuddin, a gangster was killed by Gujarat police along with his wife Kausar Bi in 2005.

Tulsiram, an aide of the gangster and an eyewitness to the encounter, was also allegedly killed by the police in 2006.