Panch witness turns hostile in Sohrab case

Mumbai: One more witness in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case turned hostile on Wednesday. Rakesh Adhikari was a panch witness in connection with the videography done at the site where Sheikh’s wife Kausar Bi’s body was allegedly burnt. However, the witness claimed he didn’t visit the site and only signed the panchnama following which he was declared hostile.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had claimed that the woman was killed in custody after the encounter and her body was disposed off. So far 72 out of total 110 witnesses have turned hostile who did not support the facts of their version earlier given to the CBI.

Mr Adhikari in his statement given to the special investigating team in 2010 had said that in May 2007 he had acted as panch witness and the police had recorded his statement. According to his statement he was shown the cremation site where the dead body of Kauser Bi was burnt at the Dhavdi river in village Illol.

Mr Adhikari, who was working at a cinema hall at that time, had said that the police had taken him and other witnesses along with a videographer to the site and places were shown to him where the truck, that was carrying Kausar Bi’s body had stuck, where her body was burnt and the dam from where water was brought to put out the fire. He had also stated that the police had taken measurement of the spot and videography was also done in front of him. Later, after reaching back to police bhavan at Gandhinagar in Gujarat the cassette of the videography was handed over to the police. However, on Wednesday

Adhikari denied everything before the judge S.J. Sharma.