CBI closes case for final arguments

MUMBAI: After examining over 200 prosecution witnesses, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday informed the special court it is closing its case in the alleged staged encounter case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife Kausar Bi and close aide Tulsiram Prajapati. Unlike in other cases, the CBI completed examining 210 witnesses in this case within a period of one year as the central agency had started the same on November 27, 2017. It may be noted, at least 92 prosecution witnesses have turned hostile in the case and refused to support the case of the prosecuting agency. The latest were chief investigating officers Amitabh Chaudhary and Sandeep Tamgadge, who supported the CBI case and made several revelations against accused persons including BJP president Amit Shah.On Thursday, when the matter was called on for hearing, the CBI prosecutor BP Raju told special judge Sunil Sharma that the proseuction is done with the examination of witnesses and now seeks to close the case for final arguments. The court accordingly accepted Raju’s submission and posted the matter for further hearing on Monday. Now, since the prosecution has closed the case, the court will now examine all the 22 accused – all police officers from Gujarat and Rajasthan Police – under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Under this provision, the accused is given liberty to given an explanation regarding any incriminating material against him/her.