SIT to probe top cop’s role in Kutch fake encounter

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Gujarat Police has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe a 26-year-old encounter case in Kutch in which senior police officer Kuldeep Sharma is an accused.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Gujarat Police has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe a 26-year-old encounter case in Kutch in which senior police officer Kuldeep Sharma is an accused.

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The SIT will be headed by CID Deputy Inspector General S.S. Trivedi.

“We have suggested names of a few police officials to be inducted into the SIT. The DGP of the state will finalise the names in a day or two,” Trivedi said. He added that a deputy superintendent of police would be the investigating officer in the probe Trivedi will supervise.

“We have started the investigation after lodging an FIR for murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and other offences,” he told HT on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the CID registered an FIR against Sharma -— a 1976 batch IPS officer — in case in which two alleged smugglers were killed in a fake encounter in 1984. Two family members of the men killed have been missing since then. Sharma was the SP of Kutch district, known for smuggling across its porous coastline.

Sharma, who is currently managing director of Gujarat Sheep and Wool Development Corporation, a defunct state public sector undertaking, was not available for comment. Sharma is the first IPS officer to be posted to the undertaking.

Gujarat Leader of the Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said the state government should also lodge FIRs in the alleged fake encounters of Ishrat Jahan, Samir Pathan and others.

“The state government should also take action in other encounter cases,” he said, adding, “There should be a detailed, fair and unbiased probe.”