Restaurant ‘Encounter’: Key member of SIT probing restaurant shooting removed

Lamba was earlier posted with the anti-terror unit for around eight years and was playing a crucial role in the investigation of the encounter death.

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The Indian Express had reported first on May 19 that questions had been raised over the selection of Lamba to be part of the SIT.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) S K Gautam, who is heading the SIT, has confirmed that Lamba has been removed from the SIT and inspector S K Sinha has now joined in his place.

Police sources in the central district said that days after the SIT was formed, Anil had complained to the Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi over the inclusion of inspector Lamba.

He is currently the SHO of Prasad Nagar police station and was earlier posted with the same team of Special Cell which gunned down Vashisht.

He was transferred last December from Special Cell to Central district.

In his complaint, Anil alleged that the Vashisht family had no faith in Lamba and did not expect any justice in the case till he was an investigation officer. Bassi then asked the special commissioner of police (law and order) Deepak Mishra, who had formed the SIT, to look into the allegations.

“On Saturday, a meeting was held in central district where the Gautam and DCP central Paramaditya discussed the matter and later decided to remove inspector Lamba from the SIT,” police sources said.

A senior officer of the Special Cell said that sub-inspector Bhoop Singh, who fired at Vashisht, and inspector Dharmender were earlier working with Lamba in the same team under the supervision of inspector Mohan Chand Sharma. The same team had conducted a raid in Jamia Nagar in 2008 and killed two alleged terrorists in the Batla House encounter.

After forming the SIT, Bassi had said that the aim of constituting the team was to conduct an unbiased probe. “The SIT was constituted for a professional and speedy investigation. We want to complete the probe as soon as possible,” he had said.

Meanwhile, the SIT has once again recreated the crime scene in the presence of nine members of team of Special Cell and the forensic experts and doctors who carried out the autopsy.

“Evidence lifted from the spot has been sent to Central Forensic Science Laboratory for a ballistic report. On Friday, SIT also recorded the statements of five Special Cell officers who took part in the operation,” police sources said.