Sadiq encouter case: retired cop surrenders before Guj court

Irshadali Saiyed, named in the charge-sheet filed by the CBI and against whom a non-bailable warrant was issued on Friday, today appeared before the special CBI Judge H S Khutwad.

As CBI didn't seek his remand, court sent him in judicial custody.

In his surrender application, filed through advocate Rohit Verma, Saiyed claimed he learnt from the media reports that he had been named as an accused.

"In fact I was to remain present before the chief investigating officer of the case on December 21 as directed by CBI. However, since I am suffering from medical complications for last many years, I was required to seek medical assistance that day and hence could not remain present," he said.

Jamal, a resident of Bhavnagar, was killed in an encounter by the Gujarat police here on January 13, 2003.

But the genuineness of the encounter became an issue after former Mumbai-based journalist Ketan Tirodkar filed an affidavit before a court in Mumbai that he was witness to Jamal's hand-over to Gujarat police by the 'encounter specialist' officer Daya Nayak of Mumbai police a few days before the alleged encounter.

Gujarat High Court, last June, ordered CBI probe upon a petition of Sabir Jamal, Sadiq's brother. CBI then arrested seven accused, including Tirodkar and DySP Tarun Barot.

Another accused, retired DySP K M Vaghela, is yet to be arrested. Court has issued non-bailable warrant against him.