When home ministry declared Ishrat Jahan and three others terrorists

According to Mani,Javed was in regular touch with LeT operatives for carrying out terror acts in Gujarat. He was born a Hindu who later changed his name from Pranesh Pillai. Mani said Javed was of a “criminal bent of mind” and concluded he was a rowdy. The conclusion was based on four criminal cases against Javed lodged in Thane district between 1992 and 1998,a period when he stayed in Mumbra and met Ishrat. Mani’s affidavit claims that despite having converted to Islam,he procured a passport under his previous Hindu name in 2003 and went to Dubai. “It is suspected that while working in Dubai,he was subverted to the cause of LeT,” the affidavit says.

Ishrat Jahan

“Javed and Ishrat were activists of terrorist organisation LeT,” the affidavit says. “Neither Pillai (Javed’s father) nor Kauser (Ishrat’s mother) have chosen to disclose correct facts relating to occupation,activities and movements of Javed and Ishrat on account of the fact that both Javed and Ishrat were involved in such activities,disclosure of which would result in reflection of the bona fide of the police action against these four persons …” It adds,“Ishrat was actively associated with LeT,and the apology by an LeT mouthpiece [this was issued to her family is tactical,to discredit Indian security agencies and police and aimed at misleading the court”. Another LeT mouthpiece had hailed Ishrat as “female martyr of LeT.”

Amjad Ali

The affidavit says Amjad Ali Akbar Ali Rana,alias Babbar alias Salim alias Chandu alias Rajkumar,was a resident of Sargoda,Pakistan,who entered India under instructions from LeT’s Muzammil to organise terror networks in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Pune police had found Amjad was present with Javed at the time he bought the Indica in which the four were travelling. Mani’s affidavit says Jammu & Kashmir police arrested 18 LeT terrorists on June 25-28,2004, and that it mentioned that Amjad Ali had entered India.

Zeeshan Johar

The other Pakistani national,according to the affidavit. Mani said his alias was Janbaaz and he was an LeT member who was “reported to have infiltrated from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir into Jammu and Kashmir. He procured a J&K government identity card purported to have been issued by the tehsildar,Mahore,district Udhampur,in the name of Abdul Ghani,showing him as a resident of village Shikari,tehsil Mahore”.

The cops in the chargesheet

P P Pandey: Then crime branch chief,now declared absconding. Pandey,the IB’s Rajinder Kumar and D G Vanzara allegedly manufactured inputs about a threat to CM Narendra Modi,leading to the “encounter”.

D G Vanzara: Then DyCP (crime),Gujarat police’s “encounter king”,also chargesheeted in Sohrabuddin Sheikh,Tulsiram Prajapati and Sadiq Jamal killings. Vanzara,close to former minister Amit Shah,is in jail. Accused of plotting the encounter with Pandey and Rajinder Kumar,arranging for weapons,and drafting an FIR the day before the encounter,with blank spaces to be filled.

N K Amin: Then ACP (crime),also named in Sohrabuddin encounter. Now in jail. CBI says he intercepted Javed and Ishrat’s car at Vasad,took them to Khodiyar farmhouse. Allegedly fired 5 rounds from his 9mm pistol at the four killed.

Girish Singhal: Then ACP (crime),also named in Sadiq Jamal,Sohrabuddin encounter cases for cover-up attempts. Allegedly collected from Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau office the weapons “planted” on the four. Out on default bail,under deemed suspension.

Tarun Barot: Suspended as DSP,then inspector with crime branch. In custody in Sadiq Jamal case. Skilled sharpshooter,he and Amin,along with IB men,allegedly abducted Ishrat and Javed. He allegedly fired six rounds from his revolver and three from that of policeman I K Chauhan.

J G Parmar: Former crime branch cop filed the FIR on the encounter. Police version mentioned an intelligence input supposedly from then police commissioner K R Kaushik and Pandey. The version included Ishrat’s arrival in a car and a shootout on the spot. It did not mention the 9mm bullets found. Parmar is now out on default bail.

Anaju Chaudhary: Commando with the State Reserve Police Force,last served in security team of former minister Praful Patel. In the crime branch,was posted as commando for Barot’s security. Allegedly fired 10 rounds from a sten gun. Now out on default bail.

Mohan Kalsava: A commando with SRPF who allegedly fired on the four encounter targets with an AK-47. He remained posted in the crime branch for the security of ACPs for more than 10 years after the encounter. He died in 2007. Ujjwala Nayudu