Shahnawazuddin Sheikh on Thursday requested the special Central Bureau of Investigation court to expedite his deposition in connection with the alleged fake encounter case of his brother Sohrabuddin Sheikh in 2005, saying he faces a threat to his life, the Hindustan Times reported.
“The applicant hopes that the court may record his testimony expeditiously, as there is threat to his life. He is under constant surveillance by powerful politicians involved in the case, who are very competent to cause him severe harm,” the plea filed by him stated.
Shahnawazuddin Sheikh claimed that he had approached the court after learning that the CBI had not included him as a witness in the case and had not produced reference material seized from him. He alleged that the reference material includes pages signed by Tulsiram Prajapti, his brother’s aide and was also killed allegedly in a staged encounter by the Gujarat Police in 2006.
In his plea, Shahnawazuddin Sheikh claimed that Prajapati had feared for his life as he was the eyewitness to the alleged abduction of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kausarbi, The Indian Express reported. The CBI court asked the prosecution to file a reply to his plea and scheduled the hearing for next week.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!