Encounter case: SC allows IPS officer to visit ailing mother

The Supreme Court today allowed Gujarat cadre IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian, an accused in the case of alleged fake encounter killings of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauserbi, to visit his ailing mother in Ahmedabad and directed a Mumbai court to start the trial next month.
"Having regard to the grounds on which modification of Clause V of the order dated March 28, 2014 passed by this Court has been sought for, we permit the accused-petitioner (A-6) to visit Ahmedabad to see his ailing mother.
"The aforesaid accused is permitted to stay in Ahmedabad for seven days whereafter he will come back to Mumbai and report to the City Civil Court, Greater Mumbai. The accused shall intimate the date of his departure to the Special Judge, CBI, City Civil Court, Greater Mumbai well in advance," a bench of justices Ranjan Gogoi and N V Ramana said.

Sheikh and his wife were allegedly abducted by Gujarat's Anti-Terrorist Squad from Hyderabad and killed in a suspected fake encounter near Gandhinagar in November 2005.
The bench, after perusing the report of the trial judge in the case, ordered the lower court to decide the eight pending applications within four weeks in the case.
"Thereafter, the Trial Court is directed to take up the matter with regard to framing of charges and pass appropriate orders thereon so that the trial can commence in the month of August, 2015 itself.

"This case be listed on 8th of September, 2015 by which time the Trial Court will submit a report of the action taken pursuant to the present order," it said.

Earlier, the court had granted bail to Pandian in the case.
The IPS officer had moved the apex court in December, 2013 after the Bombay High Court on November 20, 2012 had rejected his bail application.
Pandian, along with IPS officer Abhay Chudasma, Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Dinesh M N and some other policemen, were lodged in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai after the Supreme Court transferred the trial in the case to Mumbai from Ahmedabad.