Muslim officer took fake oath so that he could lie: Amin in bail plea

Amin, a deputy superintendent of police, is the only accused in the Ishrat case who is still behind bars. He is now in judicial custody in Vadodara civil hospital. The other six accused, including ADGP P P Pandey, retired DIG D G Vanzara, and IPS officer G L Singhal, are out on bail.

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According to the CBI chargesheet, Amin had a role in every stage of the fake encounter from the time that Muslim officer took fake oath so that he could lie: Amin in bail plea Ishrat and her companions were picked up, kept in illegal confinement and interrogated, to when they were finally gunned down on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in 2004.

In his written submission before the special CBI court hearing his bail application, Amin said: “I K Chauhan has deliberately deposited his statement before learned magistrate on the name and oath of “Bhagwan Ki Saughandh” instead of his own religious oath of Kuran or Allah or Khuda. This is much enough to understand the real opportunistic characteristic of this man even for the faith and oath.”

CBI lawyer L D Tiwari, while opposing bail, read this out before special judge K R Upadhyay, adding, “How can one question a statement recorded under section 164 of CrPC before a judicial officer in this manner? It can’t be held as a false statement.”

Chauhan is one of the key witnesses in the case implicating Amin and Tarun Barot among other officials. He was the police inspector posted at Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch when the encounter took place. Chauhan is now a DSP in Surendranagar district.

Chauhan’s statement in the CBI chargesheet reads: “Tarun Barot fired six rounds from his revolver and three rounds from the revolver of Chauhan.” Chauhan was present at the spot where Ishrat and the others were gunned down. He has said that he turned away after the firing began.

Chauhan has also said that Amin and Barot first fired at the Indica car in which Ishrat and her friend Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai were travelling days before their murder.

Ishrat, Javed and two alleged Pakistani nationals, Zeeshan Johar and Amjadali Rana, were killed by Gujarat Police officers in an encounter on June 15, 2004. The officers claimed that they were Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives on a mission to kill Narendra Modi, then chief minister of the state. The CBI has said that its investigation has found nothing to suggest a plot against Modi, and that the victims were killed in cold blood.

The CBI counsel also objected to Amin allegedly sending a letter describing his medical condition directly to the court, bypassing the proper channel. The judge took note, and asked CBI to verify the authenticity of the letter. Amin has cited his poor health while seeking bail.