New Delhi, Oct 8: The Supreme Court today issued notices to the state of Gujarat and CBI, on a petition filed by mother of sole eyewitness Tulsiram Prajapati in Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, seeking a CBI inquiry into the alleged killing of her son by the state police in a fake encounter.

A bench comprising Justices Tarun Chatterjee and Dalveer Bhandari issued notices after hearing counsel for Narmada Bai, who alleged that her son was killed by Gujarat police, to shield the culprits involved in the killing of Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausar Bi in fake encounters in November 2005.

According to her, Prajapati was the only eyewitness to the fake encounter and he was also killed similarly one year after the incident, having been harassed in a false case.

At present, seven accused, including three senior IPS officers, are facing trial in the fake encounter case.

The court was also informed that till date no investigation has been carried out into the murder of her son, Prajapati. To ensure free and fair investigations into the same, it was imperative to entrust investigation of the case to an independent investigating agency like CBI.

The court also directed to tag the matter with the main petition pending in this court.

The apex court is also hearing the petition filed by Rubabuddin Shaikh into the alleged killing of her brother and sister-in-law.

Prajapati was travelling in the same bus from which the couple was dragged out on November 25, 2005 followed by killing of Sohrabuddin.

Gujarat police also admitted in the Supreme Court that Kauser Bi might have also been killed.

The then DIG, Anti Terrorist Squad, D G Vanjara is the main accused in the case.

According to the amicus curiae Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, many lacunae have deliberately been left in the chargesheet to save the culprits as no motive for the killings was disclosed in it.

UNI