CBI summons 2 cops in Bilkis Banu case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned two Gujarat policemen for questioning in the Bilkis Banu gangrape cum murder case in which 14 persons had been hacked to death by an armed mob, police sources said here yesterday.

Deputy superintendent of police R S Bhagora and deputy SP R M Bhabhor, both of whom were serving in Limkheda Taluka at the time of the massacre, and are currently serving in Intelligence Bureau and city traffic department respectively, have been summoned by the CBI to the Devgadh Baria camp for questioning, the sources said.

Two policemen "" an assistant sub-inspector and a head constable "" have already been arrested for 'tampering with evidence' and the CBI has already informed the Supreme Court of the 'poor' probe conducted by the Gujarat police in such a sensitive case involving gangrape and murder.

A local court in Ahmedabad had earlier rejected their anticipatory bail plea on the grounds that they were influential persons and could hamper the investigation if granted anticipatory bail.

Sources say that the CBI has got adequate evidence against the 'errant' cops and their arrest is possible.

The agency has in its interim report to the Supreme Court severely indicted the Gujarat police for the manner in which it investigated the gangrape cum murder case.

During a three-day excavation in the area, the CBI had embarked on a huge task of unearthing the skeletal remains of the victims and had recovered the remains of four persons, including that of a child, the sources said adding, it contained clothes and footwear.

In its status report to the SC, the CBI has pointed out various points such as the 'missing' photo of Saleha "" Bilki's daughter, who was killed "" from the album of all the victims prepared by Gujarat police.

The photographs were taken at the incident spot in the dense Panivela forest and two separate local photographers were called two days after the incident occurred on March three, 2002.

The CBI also mentioned in its interim report that the Gujarat policemen even threatened to 'inject poison' if Bilkis mentioned rape in her complaint.

The CBI also indicated that local administrators and government doctors were part of the 'haphazard' investigation due to which the case was closed due to 'lack of evidence'.

The agency also pointed out the vague manner in which the post-mortem was conducted and that the reports prepared by the local doctors do not show the injuries inflicted on the victims.

The CBI also told the SC that inspite of the doctors knowing about the sensitivity of the case and the allegation of gang rape, no bodily fluid, blood or saliva samples were collected inspite of the victim being available.

The agency had also said that it was surprising that the executive magistrate and the sub-divisional magistrate had visited the incident spot for only 30 minutes and had not signed the inquest report, the sources added.