Ahmedabad: Rahul Sharma summoned in fake evidence probe

The special investigation team (SIT) probing charges of fabrication of evidence of a conspiracy behind the 2002 riots summoned former IPS officer and new a practising lawyer Rahul Sharma, who was once briefly part of the team investigating various riots cases in Ahmedabad.

On Friday, additional commissioner of police of SOG, crime branch, B C Solanki, issued summons to Sharma and asked him to remain present at SOG's headquarters in Juhapura on August 27 for the purpose of recording his statement in connection with the investigation for the FIR registered on June 25. Sharma was unavailable for comment.

In its FIR, city crime branch accused social activist Teesta Setalvad, former DGP R B Sreekumar and former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt of conspiracy and carrying out efforts to frame innocent people for offences punishable by death.

The FIR is open ended. Sharma, who took voluntary retirement from the post of deputy inspector general of police in 2015, was posted in the Ahmedabad police headquarters in 2002 and was tasked with helping the investigation in three massacres - Naroda Patia, Naroda Gam and Gulbarg Society.

He had obtaisned all mobile call records for the period of the riots from service providers to probe a possible element of conspiracy among the rioters. He submitted the call details before the Godhra inquiry commission.

However, the original CDs containing the call records went missing and for this missing piece of evidence, the state government has contemplated action against him. 

The state government has also issued numerous show-cause notices to him for various violations that he termed "frivolous" before a tribunal.