"To our knowledge, SP M N Dinesh, currently posted at Alwar, was probably not involved in the alleged fake encounter in which Soharrubudin (an alleged Lashkar-e-Tayiba militant) was gunned down in 2005 during a joint operation by Gujarat's and Rajasthan police. Nor did the encounter take place in front of Dinesh," State Home Minister G C Kataria told PTI.

Dinesh "is a very dedicated and sincere officer in the Rajasthan cadre of IPS," he said.

Kataria said he would fly to Ahmedabad on Wednesday to ascertain the facts and legality of the case.

"I will meet the Gujarat Home Minister and DGP to find out the exact circumstances leading to arrest of Dinesh Kataria said.

Recalling the 2005 incident in which Soharrubudin was killed, he said, "Some of the policemen from Udaipur did go to Ahmedabad to arrest the deceased who was wanted in a criminal case in Rajasthan also but I doubt Dinesh had then accompanied them.

"This time Dinesh had gone to Ahmedabad to get his statement recorded in the case and it was unfortunate that he had been arrested without prior intimation to us", Kataria said.

Three senior IPS officials, including Dinesh, were today arrested by Gujarat Police on the charge of murder for their alleged role in the killing of a man described as a Lashker-e-Taiba cadre in a fake encounter in Ahmedabad in 2005.

The other two arrested are Inspector General (border range) D G Vanzara and Superintendent of Police Rajkumar Pandayan of the state intelligence wing.