CP shootout case: HC issues notice to CBI on cop's plea18 Dec 2007, 2101 hrs IST,PTI

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to CBI on an appeal filed by two constables sentenced to life term in the Connaught Place fake encounter case. A Division Bench comprising Justices B N Chaturvedi and G S Sistani admitted Sumer Singh and Kothari Ram's appeal, challenging the trial court's conviction order and asked CBI to file its reply by January 23. Ten policemen, including the two convicts and the then ACP S S Rathi, were sentenced to life imprisonment for killing two businessmen -- Pradeep Goyal and Jagjit Singh -- at Barakhamba Road in New Delhi on March 31, 1997 in a fake encounter. Seeking suspension of sentence, the two constables contended that though they were part of the team that was hunting for the UP-based gangsters, the prosecution did not have any evidence against them and the trial court had failed to appreciate that. ACP Rathi and Inspector Anil Kumar have already filed their appeal against their conviction and the Bench has issued notice to CBI and listed the matter on January 23 next year. As per the CBI, the police team which was hunting for UP-based gangster Yaseen and his associate had gunned down Goyal and Singh by "indiscriminately" firing at the instruction of ACP Rathi without any provocation.