A special CBI court on Thursday ordered the issuance of arrest warrant against top Gujarat Police officer PP Pande, an accused in the 2004 alleged fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan and three others.
The 1980-batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre is currently additional DGP (crime) and he was Ahmedabad’s Joint Commissioner of Police at the time of the encounter.
Judge Gita Gopi, while granting the prayer of issuing warrant on a revision application filed by CBI, held that “looking at the circumstances of the case, the court’s interference is necessary in the interest of justice.”
Setting aside the order of ACJM, Ahmedabad, rejecting the CBI plea seeking arrest warrant against Pande, the judge observed, “there is apparent error in the order under revision. Observations made in it are not in compliance with the provisions of law and that order is found (to be) illegal and incorrect.”
On April 25, ACJM SH Khutwad, while rejecting the CBI plea, had held, “Investigating officer has powers to arrest, if he wishes, as offence alleged is a cognizable offence.”