Once popular retreat is now deserted after Ishrat Jahan taint

Though it now stands haunted and  popularly known as the encounter bunglow, it will go down in the memory lane as a place where the victims of two fake encounters were held captive for days before they were shot.

The farmhouse which was once a favourite joint for politicians, police officers and bureaucrats has now become a place of visit for CBI officers and others members who have are a part of the investigating agencies looking into the case of Sohrabuddin and Ishrat Jehan fake encounter cases.

Investigating agencies have concluded that Ishrat and Javed Sheikh were held allegedly held captive in this farmhouse before they were reportedly shot dead.

Sohrabuddin’s wife Kauserbi also lived in he house before she was killed by the cops.
The Arham farmhouse's most frequent visitor used to be encounter cop D G Vanzara.

Among various versions about where Ishrat and Javed were killed, one is that they were shot dead at the farmhouse itself. This is according to a report by then Ahmedabad chief metropolitan magistrate S P Tamang.

The farmhouse is situated between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagat and the owner Raju Jirawala was also arrested for his alleged role though he is out on bail by the Gujarat High Court.

The caretakers of the farmhouse are now habituated with nosy visitors and enquiries, but media representatives are strictly not allowed. “We have been told by the owner not to open the gates for anyone,’’ said one of the caretakers. He said the place was frequented by police and other officers but that was till a few years ago.

The caretaker added that there were no visitors now, apart from a few domestic help and some dogs none even dare to frequent the place. The caretaker confirmed that even the owner Jirawala too did not visit the place from the time it started making headlines for wrong reasons.