Gujarat High Court appointed IPS Officer Rajiv Ranjan Verma to head Ishrat Encounter Case

The Gujarat High Court on 19 July 2011 appointed Bihar-cadre IPS officer Rajiv Ranjan Verma to head the three-member body probing into 2004 Ishrat encounter. The Gujarat High Court also came down heavily on the Centre as it felt the Centre adopted a very casual approach to the case.
Verma was  appointed after J V Ramudu, an Andhra Pradesh-cadre IPS officer whose name was announced by the High Court on 15 July 2011 as the new SIT chief, turned down the job sighting his consent was not taken and his health did not permit him to take up the responsibility.

The court mentioned in its order that if it is found there was a casual approach by the Union government or an attempt to mislead the court, it would attract serious action.
The SIT appointed by the HC to probe into the Ishrat Jahan encounter has been in embroiled in controversy since its formation.

Its first chief, Delhi Police officer Karnail Singh, had to opt out when he was transferred to Mizroram. He was succeeded by Satyapal Singh of the Maharashtra cadre, but he too wanted to be relieved within a few days of taking over. Ramudu refused to join the SIT in the first place.

The other two members of the three-member SIT are IPS officers of Gujarat cadre, Satish Verma and Mohan Jha. The differences between the two were aired in public on several occassions. After he joined the SIT, Satish Verma found himself caught in an RDX landing that dates back to 1993.