The hearing on N K Amin plea, an accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, becoming an approver, was adjourned till August 18 by the CBI court here today.

Amin had last month filed an application in the court to become approver and had also asked the court to grant him pardon in the case.

CBI had early this week said that it had no objection to Amin becoming approver, provided that he makes true disclosures about the case.

It had further said that before considering Amin's application for pardon, his confessional statement needs to be recorded under CrPC 164, and after verifying the statement, CBI might consider his application of becoming an approver.

When the matter came up for hearing today, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate A Y Dave adjourned the hearing till August 18, after lawyers of eight other accused, objecting to Amin becoming approver, submitted that the court did not have the jurisdiction to record confessional statements.

H M Dhruv, representing some of the accused who have opposed Amin's plea, contended that the present court did not have any jurisdiction to record Amin's statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

CBI counsel Ejaz Khan opposed the contention that any magisterial court has jurisdiction to record confessional statement of accused.