Court issues non-bailable warrant against Sohrabuddin's brother

A special CBI court today issued a non-bailable warrant against Nayamuddin Sheikh, brother of Sohrabuddin who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2005, after he failed to appear before it for deposition.

The court had in November last year issued summons to Nayamuddin, who is a prosecution witness, asking him to appear to record his statement, but he had failed to do so.

Special CBI Judge S J Sharma today issued a non-bailable warrant against Nayamuddin and directed him to appear before the court on August 10.

The court is conducting trial against 22 people, including Gujarat and Rajasthan policemen, for murder, abduction and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.

Sohrabuddin, his wife Kausar Bi and an acquaintance, Tulsidas Prajapati, were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad from Hyderabad on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra in November 2005.

While Sohrabuddin and Kausar Bi were allegedly killed in a fake encounter near Gandhinagar, Prajapati was allegedly killed at Chapri village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district in December 2006.

The fake encounter case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of the CBI, which said it was necessary to ensure a fair trial.

In 2013, the Supreme Court had clubbed the Sheikh and Prajapati encounter cases. Over 65 witnesses have turned hostile in the trial so far.