Killers hired for Rs 3 lakh for murdering Masood: Police

An alleged contract killer, who was arrested here in Shehla Masood murder case, has confessed that he and two others were hired for Rs 3 lakh for killing the RTI activist in Bhopal last year, police claimed today.

Irfan, who was picked up by UP Special Task Force from a house at Talaq Mahal locality of Kanpur late last night, was today remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a Metropolitan Magistrate.

During interrogation, Irfan said that he along with Shanu Alaunga, a sharpshooter who was shot dead in an unrelated incident in November last year, and one Salim had been hired for Rs three lakh by a Bhopal-based person to carry out the murder, DSP Samir Saurabh said.

Irfan said Rs two lakh was paid to Shanu who took him and Irfan to Bhopal from Kanpur on August 10 to murder Masood. They had been promised that the rest of the amount will be paid after the killing, according to police.

Irfan said it was Shanu who shot dead the RTI activist on August 16 and later they returned to Kanpur.

Shanu was gunned down in November last year by two motorcycle-borne youths outside the court here.    The third killer, Salim, is still at large.

The CBI had arrested a woman-architect from Bhopal, Zahida Parvez, who allegedly ordered the killing of the RTI activist as she was suspicious of her relationship with her husband.

Police said Irfan has a criminal record and several cases, including under Gangster's Act are registered against him. He has been jailed several times.

The DSP said that Kanpur Police has booked Irfan under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC and Section 25 of Arms Act for attacking a police party which had gone to arrest him and possessing illegal weapons.

He said a CBI team from Bhopal was heading to Kanpur to take custody of the accused.

Masood was shot dead outside her house at Koh-e-Fiza locality on August 16, 2011 when she was going to take part in protests in support of Jan Lokpal Bill.

An RTI activist, Masood had worked in several areas including environment protection, conservation of wildlife and anti-corruption movement.