Another case of an alleged staged killing in Gujarat has surfaced with the victim's father urging the Supreme Court to order a federal probe into his son's death in 2004.
In his petition, MR Gopinatha Pillai of Kerala sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of his son Pranesh Kumar Pillai, who had changed his name to Javed Gulam Mohammed Sheik after converting to Islam.
A vacation bench of judges Arijit Pasayat and DK Jain ruled on Monday the plea would be heard along with a similar petition filed by Rubabuddin Sheikh questioning the role of the Gujarat Police in the death of his brother Sohrabuddin Sheikh.
Pillai said his son, who was working in a travel agency, was killed while he was travelling in a vehicle to visit his family.
The Gujarat Police had murdered his son on June 15, 2004 in the guise of an encounter, planned and executed by them with the ulterior motive to enhance the political image of state Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Pillai alleged.
According to the petition, four people were killed on that day and branded as members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group.
{{/usCountry}}According to the petition, four people were killed on that day and branded as members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group.
{{/usCountry}}Pillai said the Gujarat Police had not produced any evidence so far to substantiate the charge that his son was linked to a terrorist group or to anti-social elements. Also, there was no police case or complaint filed against his son anywhere in India.
Pillai said he had made a representation to the Gujarat chief secretary to investigate into the murder of his son but no action was taken.
However, in the name of investigations, Gujarat Police officials were harassing Pillai and his daughter-in-law and threatening them with dire consequences if they complained to the authorities about his son's death, the petition said.
Thus, Pillai said, he was demanding a CBI probe into his son's death.