CBI takes charge of probe in Ishrat Jahan case

The CBI on Friday formally took over investigation into the 2004 fake encounter death of Mumbai college girl Ishrat Jahan and three others, following directions from the Gujarat High Court.

A team of CBI officials headed by IG V V Laxminarayan, who heads the Hyderabad Zone of the agency, was handed over the case papers and other documents related to the case here by officials of the high court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has termed the police encounter as "fake". Investigating officer for the case G Kalaimani, who holds the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), DIG Arun Bothra from the CBI Special Crime Zone (II) besides lower rank officials were present on the occasion. According to SIT officials, they handed over case papers, evidences, original statements along with English translations to the agency. The CBI would be operating from the office alloted in Gandhinagar old secretariat campus.