Solanki was arrested on Tuesday after his interrogation at CBI headquarters in Delhi. He has been booked on charges of conspiracy and murder. After the Delhi court granted transit remand to take Solanki to the Ahmedabad CBI court, it directed the agency get him medically examined in a government hospital in Gujarat.
Solanki appeared before investigators at the behest of the Supreme Court, before whom the parliamentarian had gone to seek cover against the CBI after disregarding a witness summons on October 29 fearing arrest. The apex court denied him any legal protection and instead asked him to appear before the investigators.
Solanki is the seventh arrest in this case, but the first by a central agency. Before him, six persons were arrested and chargesheeted by the city crime branch. They included Solanki's nephew Shiva alias Solanki and alleged sharp-shooter, Shailesh Pandya.
Jethava was shot dead on July 20, 2010, a few days after he filed a PIL against Solanki's alleged illegal mining activity in Gir sanctuary, home to the Asiatic lion. He had expressed apprehension that he could be targeted by the mining mafia. The investigation was transferred from the Sola police to the crime branch, which arrested six persons.
Despite Jethava's father Bhikhubhai's accusations, the probe agency did not probe Solanki's role. When the probe did not move ahead, the HC asked another IPS officer, SP of Surendranagar, Raghavendra Vats, to probe the case. He too gave the MP a clean chit. This led Bhikhubhai to reiterate his demand for a CBI probe. His counsel Anand Yagnik highlighted contradictions in the outcome of the investigation.
When the HC was convinced about sloppy investigation, it asked CBI to investigate the case on September 25 last year.
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