Timeline in 'fake' encounter of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh and two others

On November 26, 2005, Sohrabuddin Shaikh shot dead in an alleged fake encounter by Gujarat and Rajasthan Police personnel on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar highway.

Mumbai: Following is the timeline in the alleged fake encounter case of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and associate Tulsiram Prajapati:

1) 23 November 2005: Sohrabuddin Shaikh, Kausar Bi and Tulsiram Prajapati allegedly abducted by the Gujarat ATS from Maharashtra.

2) 25 November 2005: Tulsiram Prajapati taken to Ahmedabad and handed over to the Rajasthan Police, which transported him to Udaipur.

3) 26 November 2005: Sohrabuddin Shaikh shot dead in an alleged fake encounter by Gujarat and Rajasthan Police personnel on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar highway.

4) 29 November 2005: Kausar Bi allegedly raped, killed and cremated at Illol village in Gujarat.

5) December 2005: Sohrabuddin’s brother Rubabuddin Shaikh writes to the Chief Justice of India alleging a fake encounter. The Supreme Court directs Gujarat State CID-Crime to probe the matter.

6) 26 December 2006: Tulsiram Prajapati allegedly escapes from police custody during transit.

7) 28 December 2006: Tulsiram Prajapati killed in another alleged fake encounter between Ambaji town and Sarhad Chapri in Gujarat.

8) 2007: Tulsiram’s mother Narmada Bai approaches the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe.

9) 30 April 2007: The Gujarat government informs the Supreme Court that Kausar Bi is dead and that her body was burnt and disposed of.

10) 12 January 2010: The Supreme Court hands over the probe into the Sohrabuddin encounter to the CBI and transfers the case from Gujarat to Mumbai.

11) July 2010: Amit Shah arrested in connection with the case.

12) October 2010: Amit Shah granted bail.

13) 8 April 2011: The Tulsiram Prajapati case also transferred to the CBI.

14) 27 September 2012: The Supreme Court transfers trial in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh-Kausar Bi alleged fake encounter case from Gujarat to Mumbai, accepting the CBI’s plea for a fair trial.

15) 1 December 2014: Special CBI judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya dies of an alleged heart attack in Nagpur.

16) 30 December 2014: Amit Shah discharged from the case.

17) November 2015: Rubabuddin Shaikh approaches the Bombay High Court challenging Amit Shah’s discharge, but later withdraws the petition.

18) December 2015: Social activist Harsh Mander moves the Bombay High Court against Amit Shah’s discharge.

19) April 2016: Bombay High Court dismisses Harsh Mander’s petition, observing he had no locus standi. He later appeals in the Supreme Court.

20) November 2017: The Caravan publishes a story on Judge Loya’s death.

21) January 2018: A Supreme Court bench headed by then CJI Dipak Misra rules that Judge Loya’s death was natural.

22) 23 November 2018: Examination-in-chief and cross-examination of prosecution witnesses concluded.

23) 26–30 November 2018: Statements of the 22 accused recorded under Section 313 of the CrPC.

24) 3–5 December 2018: Final arguments heard before the CBI court.

25) 21 December 2018: All 22 accused acquitted for lack of evidence.

26) January 2019: Sohrabuddin's family write to CBI to challenge the acquittal.

27) April-June 2019: Sohrabuddin brothers - Rubabuddin Shaikh and Nayabuddin Shaikh - file petition in the Bombay High Court, which was admitted.

28) 16 January 2026: Bombay High Court reserves order challenging the acquittal.

29) 7 May 2026: Bombay High Court rejects appeal filed by Sohrabuddin's brothers challenging the CBI court's acquittal.