Amidst claims and counter-claims over the controversial death of computer graphics teacher Rizwanur Rahman, the CBI officials currently investigating the case, have come across a letter supposedly written by the deceased and his wife, Priyanka, to the police which hinted of a foul play by industrialist Ashok Todi, reports said on Friday.

The letter which appeared in the local vernacular dailies and is in possession of the CBI is providing a vital clue to the ongoing investigation. “The letter makes it abundantly clear that the couple were very scared. But Priyanka did not tell us about the letter; neither did she inform us about any apprehension of the anti-socials,” a CBI official was quoted as saying.

The letter made a passing reference to attempts at bribery — an issue that has become a raging controversy now. “They (the anti-socials) are trying to threaten and bribe our people so that somehow the girl is sent back to her parents,” it read.

Interestingly, Rizwanur’s family had categorically denied allegations of accepting any money from the Todis at any point of time.

The letter addressed to Ajoy Kumar, former deputy commissioner of police (detective department) who was transferred after the controversy erupted, states: “We would like to inform you that our father-in-law/father may engage some anti-socials/criminals to kidnap us or may try to forcefully abduct us. Some anti-socials are coming to our place and threatening us of dire consequences if we continue to stay together at our place.”
And the coupled signed off with a plea to provide protection at the earliest.

The letter was delivered two days after Priyanka left her home and 18 days before the tragic death of Rizwanur.
The CBI officials might use an important line in the letter which states: “Please be informed that if anything happens to us, the person who will be responsible, is Ashok Kumar Todi (father of Priyanka).”

A number of text messages from Rizwanur’s mobile only strengthen the suicide theory. But the messages had been contested by his family as also human rights activist Sujato Bhadra who apprehend that Kolkata police had allegedly released these texts selectively to make it appear that Rizwanur took his own life because he was immensely depressed.

Judicial inquiry called off

Kolkata, uni: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Friday called off the judicial inquiry into the death of Rizwanur Rehman.

“Judging the situation and the fact that Rizwanur’s family does not want it, we withdraw the Commission of Inquiry, set up by the state government, “ he announced at the state Secretariat.
Bhattacharjee, however, asserted that the one-member commission of inquiry, headed by the retired justice of Calcutta High Court, Aloke Chakrabory, would function concurrently with the CBI probe.