Bombay High Court Confirms Acquittal In Sohrabuddin Encounter Case
Bombay High Court dismissed appeals against the acquittal of 22 accused policemen in the alleged fake encounter case involving Sohrabuddin Shaikh, Kausar Bi and Tulsiram Prajapati.
The Bombay High Court has upheld the acquittal of 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter case linked to gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, bringing a major legal chapter in the long running case closer to an end.
A division bench of the High Court dismissed the appeals filed by family members of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and associate Tulsiram Prajapati. The petitions had challenged the earlier acquittal granted to 22 policemen and other accused persons in the case.
The matter relates to the 2005 alleged fake encounter case that attracted nationwide attention and political debate for several years. Investigators had alleged that Sohrabuddin Shaikh was killed in a staged police encounter, while questions were also raised over the deaths of Kausar Bi and later Tulsiram Prajapati.
The special CBI court had earlier acquitted all 22 accused, citing lack of sufficient and reliable evidence to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt. Family members of the victims later approached the Bombay High Court seeking a reversal of that verdict.
However, the High Court found no strong grounds to interfere with the trial court’s judgment and decided to dismiss the appeals. With this order, the acquittal of all accused persons in the case continues to remain valid.
The case had remained one of the most discussed criminal and political matters in the country, involving multiple investigations, witness statements and allegations surrounding police actions and the handling of evidence over the years.
