Abhay Chudasama goes to jail

AHMEDABAD: Abhay Chudasama, the suspended IPS officer arrested for conspiring the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, was sent to judicial custody at the end of his seven-day remand on Wednesday.
The CBI, while seeking further remand for Chudasama, told the magisterial court that the police officers had killed Sohrabuddin not for name, fame and promotions as the CID (crime) chargesheet said, but for extortion.The Supreme Court had severely criticised the Gujarat police's failure to determine the motive in the killings of Sohrabuddin and his wife Kauserbi.
The central investigating agency claimed that unauthorised ammunition was seized from Chudasama's office, as well as, the home of a police inspector of Ahmedabad crime branch, PB Jadeja. This material has been sent for forensic examination. The CBI said it wanted to find out where else Chudasama had hidden arms and ammunition.
Claiming non-cooperation on part of the suspended cop, CBI also stated that it received information that Chudasama "parked” huge sums of extorted money at different places after he was arrested. Raids at the premise of Jadeja's brother — KB Jadeja at Surendranagar unearthed Rs 10.98 lakh, hidden in a trunk.
The CBI said that cash and gold ornaments were deposited in a locker in the Muli branch of SBI after Chudasama's arrest.
CBI claimed that it found that JM Finance received huge deposits of extorted money in the name of family members of Jadeja and other officers of the crime branch after Chudasama's arrest.
However, Chudasama's counsel thwarted CBI's demand for further seven-day remand and argued that the investigating agency sought remand on same old grounds. CBI did not take the accused anywhere for the purpose of recovery or discovery, and it was not required in further custodial interrogation.
Hearing the arguments, chief judicial magistrate VB Barot refused further interrogation of Chudasama and sent him to judicial custody. The CBI urged the court not to lodge Chudasama at the Sabarmati Central Jail, as co-accused cops are lodged there. The CBI said it had seized memory cards, CDs, floppies, laptop, and mobile phones from Chudasama's office. From Jadeja's office it found 30 unauthorised cartridges.