Senior police officer suspended over Dara Singh fake encounter

The Rajasthan government has suspended Additional Superintendent of Police Arshad Ali, who was charge-sheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation for his alleged involvement in the Dara Singh fake encounter case.

His suspension order was issued on Monday, according to sources.

Ajay Kumar Jain, another senior police officer who was suspended by the government, is absconding.

The CBI had summoned both the officers in May for interrogation, but they failed to appear before it and their whereabouts are unknown.

A local court has also issued warrants against them.

Five policemen -- including IPS officer A Ponnuchamy -- and a retired sub-inspector have been arrested so far in connection with the encounter case which is being investigated by the CBI.

The agency filed a charge-sheet in a local court naming former Bharatiya Janata Party minister and sitting member of legislative assembly A Rajendra Rathore, but stopped short of making him an accused.

Dara Singh was killed by the Special Operations Group in an alleged fake encounter on October 23, 2006 in Rangendra Prasad Nagar area on the outskirts of Jaipur.

His family members had accused a senior state BJP leader of masterminding the encounter, claiming that Singh was targeted because of personal enmity.