Timeline: Sohrabuddin Shaikh 'fake encounter' case

A special CBI court on Friday acquitted all 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsi Prajapati, citing insufficient evidence.

Following is the timeline of the case.

November 22, 2005: Sohrabuddin, Kausar Bi and Prajapati are intercepted by a police team in a bus while returning to Sangli from Hyderabad and are taken into custody.

Shaikh and his wife taken in one vehicle, Prajapati in another.

November 22 to 25, 2005: Shaikh and Kausar Bi kept in a farmhouse near Ahmedabad. Prajapati sent to Udaipur where he is lodged in prison to face trial.

November 26, 2005: Shaikh killed in an alleged fake encounter, allegedly by a joint team comprising Gujarat and Rajasthan police.

November 29, 2005: Kausar Bi also allegedly killed by police, her body burnt and disposed of.

December 27, 2006: Prajapati taken from the Udaipur central prison by a team comprising Rajasthan and Gujarat police and allegedly killed in an encounter near Sarhad Chapri on Gujarat-Rajasthan border.

 2005-2006: Shaikh's family approaches the Supreme Court for the investigation into his encounter and also seeks to know the whereabouts of Kausar Bi. SC directs Gujarat state CID to conduct a probe in the case.

April 30, 2007: Gujarat government files a report before the Supreme Court stating Kausar Bi is dead and her body burnt and disposed of.

January 2010:  Supreme Court hands over the probe to CBI.

July 23, 2010: CBI files charge sheet against 38 persons including the then Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah, the then Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria and senior IPS officials.

July 25, 2010: CBI arrests Amit Shah in the case.

September 27, 2012: Supreme Court transfers trial in the case from Gujarat to Mumbai as sought by the CBI to ensure a fair trial.

December 30, 2014: A special CBI court in Mumbai discharges Amit Shah. Fifteen other accused including Kataria and senior IPS officials also discharged subsequently.

November 2015: Shaikh's brother Rubabuddin approaches the Bombay High Court to challenge Amit Shah's discharge. However, the same month, he tells the HC that he does not wish to pursue the case and withdraws his petition.

October 2017: Special CBI court in Mumbai frames charges against 22 accused.

November 2017:  Special CBI Judge S J Sharma commences trial in the case. Prosecution examines 210 witnesses, of which 92 turned hostile.

September 2018: Bombay HC upholds discharge granted to senior police officers D G Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian, NK Amin, Vipul Aggarwal, Dinesh MN and Dalpat Singh Rathod.

December 5, 2018: Court closes the case completion of final arguments by prosecution and defence lawyers.

December 21, 2018: Court acquits all 22 accused in the case after observing that prosecution failed to establish charges against them.