Pandey declared proclaimed absconder

A CBI court Friday declared Additional DGP P P Pandey as proclaimed absconder for evading arrest warrants for more than a month in connection with Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case. While pronouncing the order ACJM H S Khutwad gave an ultimatum to Pandey to be present before the court by July 31 in order to avoid further legal actions.

Pandey is one of the top policemen accused in the 2004 encounter. He was heading the Detection of Crime Branch as JCP when 19-year-old Ishrat Jahan,her friend Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai,Amjadali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were gunned down on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in the alleged stage-managed encounter.

Before disappearing,he was holding the charge of CID crime. CBI had issued two summons on April 22 and April 24,but Pandey evaded them. He has been absconding since,though officially,he is on sick leave. This led CBI to file a petition against Pandey for issuing arrest warrant. The ACJMs court refused to entertain CBIs plea. It was revised by CBI session court which cleared the way for Pandeys arrest warrant last month. However,CBI failed to trace him and execute the arrest warrant.

Senior lawyer Mukul Sinha said if Pandey doesnt surrender the next legal step would be the attachment of properties belonging to Pandey.