A special CBI court on Thursday discharged Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria and marble trader Vimal Patni from Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati alleged fake encounter cases, citing “insufficient” evidence. Kataria is the second top BJP politician after party president Amit Shah who was chargesheeted in the two cases by CBI but will not stand trial after getting relief from the trial court. On Thursday, defence lawyer of Kataria and Patni argued that since Shah has been discharged, there is no evidence on record to prove that Kataria spoke to Shah. The defence also said there was nothing in the CBI chargesheet that established the link between Patni, Kataria and Shah. [related-post] Sohrabuddin and his wife were killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2005.
