Gujarat IGP (CID) Geetha Johri investigating the Sohrabuddin fake encounter made an affidavit in the Metropolitan Court here on Thursday that ATS driver Nathusinh Jadeja, who surrendered before the court, was being considered as a witness and not an accomplice and that the CID had no intention of arresting him.
Ms Johri’s presence in a court to submit a simple affidavit may have shocked many here but it proved how crucial Jadeja’s statements are to the CID.
Jadeja, who had given statements to then investigation official Rajneesh Rai, recently retracted his statement claiming that the statements had been extracted under duress and that he was being made a victim of internal rivalry between Rai and Ms Johri.
Meanwhile, sources here claimed that Rai had video-taped the statements of Jadeja and other witnesses with their consent in anticipation of them turning hostile during the trial.

Intricate detail
The five-hour videotape shows Jadeja was extremely comfortable and his body language did not show any undue pressure when he had revealed in intricate detail how the plot to kill Sohrabuddin and Kausar Bi had been implemented. Besides, there are witnesses to the statements given by Jadeja. These video tapes in the possession of Ms Johri now show that Jadeja is a crucial witness and was present when Sohrabuddin Shaikh and Kauser Bi were intercepted and abducted between Hyderabad and Sangli.
Jadeja was also present when Kausar Bi’s body had been burnt at Ilol, the village of IPS official DG Vanzara.
The CID had planned to make Jadeja an approver in the case as he had been a mere witness to the Sohrabuddin and Kausar Bi killings and had no direct hand in the killings.
The entire case of Sohrabuddin and Kausar Bi’s killing had been pieced together due to the statement’s made by Jadeja.