M A I N   N E W S

DSP’s Murder
Akhilesh promises probe by CBI as Raja Bhaiya resigns
Tribune News Service

A protester demanding arrest of Raja Bhaiya in Allahabad on Monday. — PTI

Lucknow, March 4
Facing criticism over the murder of a police officer in Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today assured the slain officer’s wife of recommending a CBI probe into the killing.

Earlier in the day, controversial Kunda MLA and Uttar Pradesh Minister of Food and Supplies Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, resigned from his post after being booked for conspiring to kill Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul-Haq.

The Chief Minister had asked the MLA to quit in a bid to defuse the political crisis arising out of the murder of the DSP and two others in Balipur village of Kunda on Saturday.

Raja Bhaiya’s resignation has been accepted but he has not been arrested so far.

Akhilesh, who visited the DSP’s native village, assured the slain officer’s wife, Parveen Azad, of taking stern action against those found guilty of murder.

The DSP’s wife had filed a case of murder and criminal conspiracy against the minister and four of his associates - Pratapgarh district panchayat chairman Gulshan Yadav, Raja Bhaiya’s driver Guddu Singh, Rohit Singh and Hari Om.

The complainant alleged that the four had killed her husband in a planned manner at the behest of Raja Bhaiya.

She accused Raja Bhaiya of conspiring to kill her husband in cold blood, as he was investigating a “sensitive matter” (read recent communal violence in Kunda), and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

Raja Bhaiya claimed innocence and reiterated the demand for a CBI inquiry. “I am prepared for arrest or facing probe,” he said claiming that was a victim of BSP’s political conspiracy.

He termed the killing of gram pradhan, his brother as well as Haq as “extremely sad” and said it was tragic that a petty land dispute was allowed to get out of hand, culminating in violence.

Haq’s post-mortem report states that the officer had suffered a .9 mm bullet shot, which punctured his lungs and exited through the chest. The officer’s service firearm has been missing ever since his death. A top officer investigating the matter in Kunda said the missing pistol might have been used in Haq’s murder.

“As there are no fracture injuries on Haq’s body, it is unlikely that he may have been a victim of mob frenzy. Whosoever killed him was fully aware of what he was doing and most likely used Haq’s pistol to commit the crime. Evidence points towards criminal conspiracy,” the officer said.

Haq’ widow claimed her husband was probing a complaint involving Raja Bhaiya.

Parveen said: “On Saturday evening he got a call on his cell phone and left home saying he was going for an inquiry in connection with the case.”

“I was later told that he had entered the village with a contingent of eight policemen, including those who fled the scene leaving him behind with his gunman. The two were attacked by villagers, during which the gunman escaped with injuries and my husband was done to death,” she said.

“The police arrived at the scene three hours after the incident and found my husband’s body on the road leading to the village,” she claimed.

The CM handed over two cheques for Rs 25 lakh each to the widow and the officer’s father besides promising jobs for two family members on gazetted posts.

8 cops suspended

Eight policemen have been suspended for allegedly fleeing from the scene leading to the fatal attack on a DSP by a mob in Pratapgarh on Sunday. The police team had gone to the area to probe the killing of a village head and his brother.