CBI hunts for Sohrab's host in Hyderabad

The CBI, probing the killings of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and wife Kauser Bi, is scouring Hyderabad for a Maoist-turned-police informer who allegedly hosted the couple before their abduction and murder. Abhishek Sharan reports.

The CBI, probing the killings of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and wife Kauser Bi, is scouring Hyderabad for a Maoist-turned-police informer who allegedly hosted the couple before their abduction and murder.

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Mohammed Nayeemuddin, who specialises in gathering intelligence on Maoist activities and gunrunning, and his wife Saleema hosted the couple from November 19, 2005, till they left for Sangli three days later. They were then abducted on the Hyderabad-Mumbai highway.

"We want to find out if he (Nayeemuddin) had been entrusted by Gujarat ATS officers, like former DIG D G Vanzara and former SP Rajkumar Pandian, to lure Sohrabuddin to Hyderabad and reveal their travel plans to get them abducted," a CBI official said.

The CBI hopes Nayeemuddin will give details about seven AP policemen who allegedly aided the ATS team in abducting the couple. Nayeemuddin and Saleema have been missing since May.

Nayeemuddin, said the officer, could help shed light on the "third person".