4th SIT chief takes over today

Rajesh Ranjan Verma will assume charge as the new chairman of the Special Investigation Team probing the Ishrat Jahan encounter case of 2004,on Thursday.

Rajesh Ranjan Verma will assume charge as the new chairman of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Ishrat Jahan encounter case of 2004,on Thursday,said sources. Verma,a 1971-batch IPS officer,was appointed SIT chief on July 15 after Andhra Pradesh IPS officer JV Ramudu turned down the offer.

Sources said Verma had spoken to other officers in the team a couple of times after being selected for the post and updated himself with the progress in the investigations.

Assistant Solicitor General Pankaj Champaneri had assured the Gujarat HC in the last hearing that Verma has agreed to take up the job and that the SIT had already completed most of its investigation.

He said the SIT is now waiting for the reconstruction report of the forensic and medical experts who had reconstructed the encounter scene twice. The report will be handed over to Gujarat High Court.

The SIT has to submit its investigation report to the HC on August 4.

The first SIT chief,Delhi Police officer Karnail Singh,had to opt out after being transferred to Mizroram. He was succeeded by Satyapal Singh of the Maharashtra cadre,but he too wanted to be relieved within a few days after taking over.

The SIT officials said Verma,who is now posted with the CISF,sent an official communication to the Gujarat High Court informing them about his joining.

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