CBI hunts for 2 cops over missing witness
The CBI has launched a hunt for two state cops blamed for the disappearance of a key witness in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, which took a dramatic turn last month after investigators dropped charges against six accused, including Pragya Singh Thakur.
The search follows an arrest warrant issued by the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench against inspector Ramesh More and nowretired assistant police commissioner Rajan Ghule.
More and Ghule were part of the team from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that initially probed the case.
Patidar was the landlord of prime accused Ramji Kalsangra, who is absconding, and his testimony could have helped investigators strengthen the case.
Following Patidar’s disappearance, his wife Padma moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which ordered a CBI probe. Ghule and More had earlier claimed that Patidar went missing after seeking to go home to collect his identity papers, which were required to record his confession before a magistrate’s court. The CBI rubbished their claim, saying Patidar was never produced in any magistrate’s court.
The two cops could face the charges of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and fabrication of evidence, among others, under the Indian Penal Code. The Maharashtra government has rejected all requests by the CBI to prosecute the two officers, but the court’s recent stance suggest the agency may no longer need the approval.
The court had first issued the arrest warrant against the two cops on May 26. “The CBI team reached Mumbai to arrest the two officers, but they could not be found. A report on the same was then filed in the High Court on June 3,” said CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh. “The court reissued the warrants and the CBI has now launched a manhunt.”
Ghule retired from police service on May 31, while More is attached to the Nagpur police commissionairate. “Patidar went missing after he was taken to Mumbai by the ATS officers. It has been over seven years and we still don’t where he is or what happened to him,” said Patidar’s brother, Ramswarup. “He could have been tortured and killed. Those responsible should be brought to the book.”
The CBI has reportedly found evidence that suggests Patidar may have been murdered. The agency had first sought sanction to prosecute Ghule and More in 2014, but the Maharashtra government turned it down. Another application was sent last year, but it suffered the same fate.
“Despite having strong evidence against the two officers, the CBI had sought to close the case because it could not get sanction to prosecute them. The Indore bench heard the agency’s appeal and refused to grant permission to shut the case,” said advocate Prashant Maggu, who is representing the Patidar family. “On May 26, the bench issued an arrest warrant against the officers stating that the agency could go ahead without sanction from Maharashtra.”
The search follows an arrest warrant issued by the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench against inspector Ramesh More and nowretired assistant police commissioner Rajan Ghule.
More and Ghule were part of the team from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that initially probed the case.
In November 2008, two months after the explosion that killed seven, they picked up the witness, Dilip Patidar, from his Indore home and brought him to Kalachowki. It was the last time Patidar was seen.
Patidar was the landlord of prime accused Ramji Kalsangra, who is absconding, and his testimony could have helped investigators strengthen the case.
Following Patidar’s disappearance, his wife Padma moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which ordered a CBI probe. Ghule and More had earlier claimed that Patidar went missing after seeking to go home to collect his identity papers, which were required to record his confession before a magistrate’s court. The CBI rubbished their claim, saying Patidar was never produced in any magistrate’s court.
The two cops could face the charges of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and fabrication of evidence, among others, under the Indian Penal Code. The Maharashtra government has rejected all requests by the CBI to prosecute the two officers, but the court’s recent stance suggest the agency may no longer need the approval.
The court had first issued the arrest warrant against the two cops on May 26. “The CBI team reached Mumbai to arrest the two officers, but they could not be found. A report on the same was then filed in the High Court on June 3,” said CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh. “The court reissued the warrants and the CBI has now launched a manhunt.”
Ghule retired from police service on May 31, while More is attached to the Nagpur police commissionairate. “Patidar went missing after he was taken to Mumbai by the ATS officers. It has been over seven years and we still don’t where he is or what happened to him,” said Patidar’s brother, Ramswarup. “He could have been tortured and killed. Those responsible should be brought to the book.”
The CBI has reportedly found evidence that suggests Patidar may have been murdered. The agency had first sought sanction to prosecute Ghule and More in 2014, but the Maharashtra government turned it down. Another application was sent last year, but it suffered the same fate.
“Despite having strong evidence against the two officers, the CBI had sought to close the case because it could not get sanction to prosecute them. The Indore bench heard the agency’s appeal and refused to grant permission to shut the case,” said advocate Prashant Maggu, who is representing the Patidar family. “On May 26, the bench issued an arrest warrant against the officers stating that the agency could go ahead without sanction from Maharashtra.”
