After Shah, nine more accused seek discharge from CBI court

“Since the court has found no merit in the alleged conspiracy theory involving Shah, Pandey, Mathur, Johri and Patel have moved application for discharge. The CBI has claimed that they were involved in the conspiracy with Shah. When Shah has been exonerated, nothing is left in CBI theory anymore,” said one of the accused requesting anonymity.

Similar grounds have been raised by Chudasama, who was chargesheeted by the CBI as a “close aide” of Shah. The CBI chargesheet claims that Chudasama “threatened the Patel brothers (popular builders) in the name at the behest of Shah, asking them to pay Rs 1.5 crore to avoid their detention under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act.”

The chargesheet claims Chudasama as “a close and trusted police officer” of Shah who carried out “illegal instruction of Shah”. CBI has also alleged Chudasama as an “extortionist” on whose behest Sohrabuddin “caused firing in the office of Patel brothers to create terror amongst businessmen”. Sohrabuddin did this “under the instructions of Chudasama, who ran an extortion racket through Sohrabuddin.”

While allowing discharge application of Shah, CBI judge M B Gosavi noted, “There is absolutely nothing to show that Chudasama was a close and trusted aide of the Shah, who carried out the alleged illegal activities for him. Apart from Patel brothers’ version, there is no statement of any other witness to prove that.” The court adds that it was a mere “opinion of Patel brothers”. On December 30 last year, CBI judge Gosavi, while dropping charges against Shah, ordered, “There is no sufficient ground to proceed against the applicant/accused (Shah)… I also find merit in the contention of the applicant/accused that the applicant/accused is apparently shown to be involved in this case by the CBI for some political reasons.”