M A I N   N E W S

Tripathi interrogated by CBI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 24
The CBI today brought former Uttar Pradesh minister and key accused in the poetess Madhumita Shukla murder case Amarmani Tripathi here and grilled him.

Amarmani Tripathi, who is on a seven-day CBI remand, was brought to the Capital from Lucknow around 11.30 a m by an Indian Airlines flight. Before his interrogation at the CBI Headquarters here, he was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for medical examination.

A special CBI court in Lucknow, while remanding Tripathi in the CBI custody till September 30, permitted two lawyers to be present during the interrogation.

According to CBI sources, the interrogation was focussed on unearthing the conspiracy and also ascertaining the involvement of other persons in the murder.

“Our first task is to interrogate the former minister and get the details of the conspiracy of the murder. The rest will follow automatically,” a CBI official said.

Meanwhile, there is speculation over the possibility of the arrest of Amarmani Tripathi’s wife Madhumani and his cousin.

The investigation so far has reportedly indicated that Ms Madhumani was upset over her husband’s growing intimacy with the poetess and Amarmani Tripathi himself wanted to get rid of Madhumita as she had been blackmailing him for a long time. At the same time, the poetess was insisting on Amarmani Tripathi marrying her and to have the child which she was carrying from the former minister.

The CBI investigation had indicated that Madhumita could have been murdered because of her refusal to abort the child, allegedly her third from Amarmani Tripathi. She is said to have already carried out two abortions and did not want to do it again. Amarmani Tripathi has already been interrogated in connection with the findings of the Hyderabad-based DNA institute. The DNA analysis of his blood samples and the foetus of the poetess had proved that he fathered Madhumita’s unborn child.