Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has on Monday said that his government has decided to recommend CBI probe into the murder of Siwan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan. "We have already decided to handover the case to CBI. We will send a proper communication to the central investigating agency and the Centre as well by this evening," Nitish said after his weekly 'Janata Ke Durbar Mein CM' program.
"We have learnt that the victim's family wants a CBI inquiry. We have taken a decision to hand over the investigation to the CBI. We will also communicate the Centre in this connection," Nitish said.
“A decision has been taken to hand over the inquiry into the killing of a journalist of a vernacular daily at Siwan to CBI at the request of his family. After completing the formalities, the recommendation for CBI investigation would be made today itself,” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said.
Mr. Kumar said, “When I saw in the media, the (journalist’s) family’s demand for a CBI probe, I personally asked the DGP to send a police team to acquaint the family with probe (being conducted by the State police).”
“Patna zonal IG N.H. Khan met the family and they expressed satisfaction over the inquiry. We are prepared that if they are not satisfied, a CBI probe would be recommended in the Gaya incident too,” he added.
“None should have any doubt that anybody would be protected in any crime. Under my government, nobody is above the law irrespective of party affiliation or social standing. We believe in the principle that police should conduct investigation in any crime independently and nobody should interfere in the probe process,” Mr. Kumar said.
Rajdeo Ranjan, Siwan bureau chief of a Hindi daily, was shot dead in a market place in Siwan on May 13.
"I am deeply saddened and worried. I have no less pain than the kith and kin of the two victims — If there is an attack on a journalist, it's an attack on me and that's how I am looking at the case," the CM said.
"There is indeed a political angle to my husband's murder as he did not have personal enmity with anyone. But there could also be professional reasons," Ranjan's wife Asha Devi said.
By Premji
