Ex-Rajasthan home minister quizzed in Sohrab encounter case

The BJP leader from the neighbouring state, whose name had figured in the charge sheet, was summoned by the Central agency, which probed the case. He was quizzed at the agency's Gandhinagar office near here for about four hours this evening, sources in the CBI said.

"I was called by CBI for questioning in connection with the Sohrabuddin case," Kataria said after emerging out of the CBI office.

"I have given reply to what they asked me," the BJP MLA from Udaipur said but declined to provide further details.

Sohrabuddin, an alleged gangster, was killed in a alleged fake encounter in November 2005 near here by a Gujarat Police team. His wife Kausarbi was also killed later.

CBI, in its charge sheet, had mentioned that Kataria was in touch with then Gujarat minister of state for home Amit Shah, an accused in the case. Kataria was home minister of Rajasthan that time.

Shah, considered a close aide of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, was arrested in July 2010 and is currently out on bail.

The Supreme Court had transferred the case, initially probed by Gujarat CID, to the Central investigating agency on a petition by his brother Rubabuddin Sheikh.

Fifteen policemen, including four IPS officers D G Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian, Dinesh M N (of Rajasthan cadre) and Abhay Chudasama are in jail in connection with the fake encounter. (More)