CBI starts probe into scribe Rajdeo Ranjan murder cas

Alok Mishra

Patna: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday registered an FIR in connection with the murder of Siwan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in May this year.

Police sources said that a CBI team has started investigation into the case and visited different localities in Siwan. The CBI team would soon take assistance from the local police in this connection. Rajdeo’s wife Asha Ranjan had recently met Union Home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi and demanded CBI probe into the murder of her husband. Asha on Thursday expressed her displeasure over the attitude of Siwan district administration in the entire episode. She was highly critical of Siwan DM and said that though the DM assured of all possible help, he always advised her to concentrate over her children’s education not over the murder case.

It may be mentioned here that senior journalist and bureau chief of Hindi daily ‘Hindustan’, Rajdeo Ranjan was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Siwan on May 13, 2016. Ranjan, 42, was shot at when he was travelling on his motorcycle near Fruit Market on Station Road at around 7:45 pm. The bullets hit Ranjan on the head and neck, and he died on way to Siwan sadar Hospital. Ranjan had persistently written against law-breakers of the area. Five persons were arrested in this connection. Laddan Mian, considered close to former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, had hired the killers.

The five arrested persons were:  Rohit Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, Vishu Kumar and Sonu Kumar Gupta, all in their 20s. The 7.65 mm bore countrymade pistol used in the crime was recovered from Sonu’s house. Police had also seized three motorcycles used by the accused. All the accused are from Siwan.