IPS officer probing Sohrabuddin case offers to quit
By IANSWednesday, January 20, 2010
GANDHINAGAR - Geetha Johri, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and a member of the apex court-appointed probe committee in the 2002 post-Godhra riots cases, has offered to quit the team after the Supreme Court’s remarks against her in the probe into the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikk in an alleged staged shootout.
Johri has written to R.K. Raghavan, the chief of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), requesting him to relieve her from the squad.
Johri is Rajkot commissioner of police and had investigated the case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, an alleged gangster, who was killed with his wife Kausar Bi in an alleged staged shootout by the Gujarat police in November 2005.
Her letter comes after the apex court’s adverse observations last week on her investigations in the alleged fake shootout case. The Supreme Court transferred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Rights activists had sought the removal of Johri, Shivanand Jha and Ashish Bhatia — all three Gujarat cadre IPS officers.
Johri confirmed she had written to the SIT chief. “I found myself in a situation where I was facing personal targetting from various quarters though working under the apex court,” Johri said.
Raghavan also confirmed having received the letter. “I will discuss the matter with her then decide,” he said.
