Two more turn hostile in Sohrabuddin case

Mumbai: Two more prosecution witnesses turned hostile before a special CBI court, in Sohrabuddin Shaikh-Tulsiram Prajapati alleged fake encounter case. The number of witnesses turning hostile has reached 57. The two witnesses, Jagdish Prajapati and Girish Patel turned hostile while deposing before the special judge S.J. Sharma on Monday.

Prajapati who used to work as an operator in a government guest house in Ahmedabad, had earlier told CBI that he handed over the guest register pertaining to the period between November 13, 2006 to December 16, 2006 to the investigating agency. He also stated that Rajasthan police officials, had stayed at the guest house on November 28, 2006 and the entry was mentioned in the register. However, in court, Jagdish admitted that he had handed over the register but denied giving any statements about its content. Following which he was declared hostile.

Another witness Girish Patel who worked in the criminal department of the City Civil and Sessions Court, Bhadra,  had earlier told CBI that both Tulsiram and Mohammad Azam were brought in the criminal department. Tulsiram had told Patel that he had a strong apprehension that he would be killed by the police. Patel took both Tulsiram and Azam to the principal judge, where Tulsiram disposed about his apprehension orally. Jugde directed him to submit in writing but he failed to do so. However, Patel told court today that he was not aware of the development inside the court. He was then declared hostile.