Bihar scribe was killed for writing against Shahabuddin: CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the sensational killing of a journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, has blamed former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin for the incident and charged the jailed leader with criminal conspiracy and murder.

The CBI, which filed its charge sheet on Tuesday in the court of Justice Anupam Kumari, has slapped Sections 302, 120 (B) and 27 Arms Act against Shahabuddin and his six other associates.

Appearing before the special judge, the investigating officer Sunil Singh Rawat (DSP, CBI) and lawyer Deep Narayan said there was substantial evidence to prove that Rajdeo was gunned down by Shahabuddin’s accomplices for writing stories against the former Siwan MP, who has been in jail since 2005. Others who have been named in the charge sheet include Azharuddin Beig, alias Laddan Mian, Rishu Jaiswal, Rohit Kumar Soni, Vijay Kumar, Rajesh Kumar and Sonu Gupta.

“The conspiracy to eliminate Rajdeo was hatched at Siwan Jail where Shahabuddin was earlier lodged after being convicted of several kidnapping and murder charges. Shahabuddin was unhappy with Rajdeo for writing reports against him,” the CBI told the court.

Rajdeo, the Bureau chief of a local Hindi daily, was shot dead in Siwan in May last year while he was returning to his home from the office. The killing took place at a crowded place near Siwan railway station. Rajdeo’s widow Asha Ranjan lodged a FIR against unknown assailants but expressed apprehension that Rajdeo was bumped off at the behest of Shahabuddin.

The murder case saw its first breakthrough when Shahabuddin’s sharp-shooter Laddan Mian, the prime suspect, was apprehended by the police. Laddan, who was denied bail by the CBI court, figures in the charge sheet.