Two Porbandar encounters fake: Special Investigation Team

AHMEDABAD: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing into the three encounters in Porbandar involving IPS officer Satish Verma and some other cops will submits is first progress report before the Gujarat high court soon. The report is likely to reveal that two of the three encounters are dubious.
SIT sources said: "We have completed the primary investigation and have witness statements and other evidence to prove that of the three encounter under probe, two are extra-judicial killings.In both the cases, the actual sequence of events does not match with the story given in the police records and FIRs."
"The HC has directed us to enquire into the matter to verify whether the police encounters were genuine or stage-managed. So, after our first report we shall work according to the directions of the court," the sources added.
In 1996-97, when Verma was posted as Porbandar SP, Jasu Shial and Ranmal Aher were killed in police encounters, while another person, Narayan Aher's body was found hanging on a tree close to a police station. The third person was on police remand, and cops claimed that he had escaped from custody and committed suicide. Jasu Shial's brother, Hiralal sought an independent probe in these deaths.
An NGO - Action Committee for Prevention of Police Atrocities, had filed a PIL in the HC in 1997 and sought CBI probe in the alleged killing by police under stewardship of the then SP. Verma was accused of resorting to fake encounters to liquidate people after characterizing them as hardcore criminals.
The SIT members recently camped at Porbandar for four days where they visited two sites where the encounters had taken place. During this period, the SIT also spoke to witnesses and complainants. "Some of the witnesses claimed that in at least two of the cases they had seen the cops kill the two persons. The victims, according to these witnesses, had not retaliated in any manner and were killed in cold blood," said an SIT member.
SIT sources also added: "Our probe, however, is in a preliminary stage. We will have to establish our conclusions with evidence. For this we will take help of the forensic science experts."
In the case of Narayan Aher, who was found hanging from a tree, the SIT has found no evidence to support Porbandar police's claim that it was a case of suicide. "We shall look into the medical report and also question the medical officer who had conducted postmortem," the official added.