New Delhi: A key witness in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) investigation into the fake encounter case has reportedly claimed that Sohrabuddin Sheikh was killed after Rajasthan’s marble lobby paid Rs 10 crore to the state’s home minister.
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Claiming that Muslim youth Sohrabuddin was extorting money from marble traders, Azam Khan told TV channel CNN-IBN that he was killed after former Rajasthan home minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gulab Chand Kataria received Rs 10 crores from RK Marbles.
Azam Khan, the witness, shared a prison cell with Tulsiram Prajapati, who was believed to have witnessed Sohrabuddin’s killing.
Khan said Prajapati told him that Kataria had arranged for Sohrabuddin’s murder after receiving the money.
He also alleged that Tulsiram was killed by the police in a fake encounter as he was a witness to Sohrabuddin’s killing.
"They took Tulsiram to a lonely place and killed him. Both Rajasthan and Gujarat police were present," Khan told the TV channel, adding that his life too is in danger.
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Khan said he keeps receiving death threats because he is a key witness in the CBI investigations.
In November 2005, Sohrabuddin Sheikh, Kauserbi and Tulsiram Prajapati, were picked up by a joint team of Gujarat and Rajasthan police in Andhra Pradeshm, and few days later, both were allegedly killed in a 'staged' encounter.
The CBI is investigating the roles of the owners of R K Marble and textile company Sangam Group.
Saying that he was not related to the Sohrabuddin encounter at all, the BJP leader had denied the allegations few days ago.
Amit Shah, the former Gujarat Home minister and BJP leader is already under arrest for the alleged staged encounter killing of Sohrabuddin.
