Withdraw from Sohrabuddin case: SC tells CBI counsel

In a big embarrassment to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked its senior counsel K T S Tulsi to withdraw from the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case as he had earlier appeared for the Gujarat government.

"To be very honest with you, I do not think it is proper for you to appear in the case. You are a very senior member of the Bar. The state government might not have objected but it is not proper for you," a bench of Justices Aftab Alam and R M Lodha said.

Tulsi, who has been appearing for the investigating agency in various courts in the fake encounter case, immediately agreed and withdrew himself from the case.

"Some alternate arrangement will soon be made," he said.

Tulsi was earlier defending the Gujarat government in the fake encounter case but withdrew from the matter after the Gujarat chief minister justified the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh., a Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative.

The investigating agency then roped him in to fight the legal battle against the state government and its former home minister Amit Shah, who is alleged to be the mastermind of the conspiracy.

The case pertains to the fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in November 2005 and killing of two key witnesses, Soharabuddin's wife Kausarbi and his close aide Tulsiram Prajapati.