Udaipur, May 7 (Udaipur Kiran): The Bombay High Court has upheld the acquittal of 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati, dismissing all appeals filed against the 2018 verdict of the special CBI court.
With this decision, the accused in the nearly two-decade-old politically sensitive case have received major relief.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M. S. Karnik dismissed the petitions filed by Sohrabuddin’s brothers, Rubabuddin and Nayabuddin Sheikh. The court said a detailed order would be issued later.
The case relates to the alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh by Gujarat and Rajasthan Police in 2005, and the subsequent deaths of his wife Kauser Bi and associate Tulsiram Prajapati. Allegations were made that the encounters had been carried out in a planned manner.
After investigation, the CBI had framed charges against 22 people, including 21 police officers from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.
However, in December 2018, the special CBI court acquitted all accused, citing lack of sufficient evidence and several witnesses turning hostile.
Family members of Sohrabuddin had challenged the trial court’s verdict in the High Court in 2019. During the hearing, the CBI clarified that it would not challenge the lower court’s decision and had accepted the verdict.
The High Court’s ruling is being seen as legally and politically significant in a case that remained at the centre of national political and judicial discussions for years.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
