Sohrabuddin case: CBI officer deposes Amit Shah was paid Rs 70 lakh

New Delhi: In a shocking revelation, Amitabh Thakur, former Superintendent of Police in the CBI, Gandhinagar, and chief investigating officer in the alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in November 2005, said that the then Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah had benefited politically and monetarily from the case. Mr Thakur revealed this while deposing before a CBI court here on Monday.

Thakur added that apart from Mr Shah, former Deputy Inspector-General of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) D.G. Vanzara, former Superintendent of Police (Udaipur) Dinesh M.N., former Superintendent of Police (Ahmedabad) Rajkumar Pandiyan and former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ahmedabad) Abhay Chudasama also benefited politically.

Thakur said Amit Shah was paid ₹70 lakh by the Patel brothers, owners of Popular Builders in Ahmedabad after they were warned of dire consequences if they did not pay the money. According to Thakur Mr Vanzara was also paid ₹60 lakhs by the Patel brothers.

Thakur said that none of the police officers facing trial in the case had any political or monetary benefit from the encounter nor they had any political motives behind killing Sohrabuddin.