CBI sleuths meet slain Siwan scribe’s wife Asha Ranjan

Alok Mishra
Siwan: A CBI team on Thursday met Asha Ranjan, wife of slain Siwan journalist Rajdev Ranjan, Bureau Chief of Hindi daily Hindustan, at her residence at Mahadewa locality. Rajdev was shot dead on May 13,  2016, near Fruit Market in Siwan and the murder had rocked the state.
Talking to this reporter, Asha said that the CBI men recorded her statement. She, in her statement, directly held former Siwan RJD MP Mohd. Shahabuddin responsible for her husband’s murder. Aasha said that the CBI men also asked her about the previous threats issued to Rajdev including his assault at his office.

It may be mentioned here that Rajdev’s widow Asha Ranjan had recently met Union Home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi to demand CBI probe into the murder of her husband. The state government had also recommended the case for CBI probe on May 16.  Aasha had also expressed her displeasure over the attitude of the Siwan district administration in the entire episode. She was highly critical of Siwan DM and said that though the DM assured her of all possible help, he always advised her to concentrate on her children’s education not on the murder case.
The CBI later registered an FIR (No. 362/16) at its Patna police station under sections 302 (culpable homicide), 120B (conspiracy) and 34 of Indian Penal Code and Section 27 of Arms Act against unknown persons. Five persons had been arrested in this connection. Laddan Mian, considered close to Mohammad Shahabuddin, had hired the killers. But the police were yet to find evidence directly linking Shahabuddin with the murder. Rohit Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, Vishu Kumar and Sonu Kumar Gupta, all in their 20s, were later arrested. The 7.65 mm bore country made pistol used in the crime was recovered from Sonu’s house. Police had also seized three motorcycles used by the accused.