Alok Mishra
Siwan: Mohd. Kaif alias Bunty, who hit the headlines after his photograph with former Siwan RJD MP Mohd. Shahabuddin went viral, surrendered before a local court here on Wednesday. Siwan SP Saurabh Kumar confirmed that Kaif had surrendered before a local court.
In the video footage, Kaif was shown with the former MP several times when he was given a rousing welcome at Bhagalpur after his release from jail and later also in Siwan on September 10 after Shahabuddin reached there. The release of video had created an upheaval in the state. Kaif was evading arrest in connection with several cases of serious offences including murder, rangdari and loot, lodged with different police stations of Siwan. Police said that an arrest warrant is pending against Kaif with the Town police station in Siwan in connection with a case of rangdari and assault.
Police had further revealed that Kaif’s name had also cropped up in the murder of Siwan bureau chief of a Hindi daily Rajdeo Ranjan, who was shot dead on May 13. Even Shahabuddin’s name had also come up in the murder case though he was lodged in Siwan divisional jail at that time. He was later shifted to high security Bhagalpur jail.
After the hue and cry by the political parties, Siwan police preyed in a local court for attachment of property of Kaif and the court gave permission for it. The district police later attached Kaif’s property. As Shahabuddin reached Siwan, Rajdeo’s wife Asha Ranjan reached New Delhi and met Union Home minister Rajnath Singh for CBI probe into the murder of her husband. The CBI is now investigating into case. Ranjan had persistently written against law-breakers of the area. Reports said the assailants were on two bikes and were waiting for Ranjan when he was .returning home on his bike.
Five persons: Rohit Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, Vishu Kumar and Sonu Kumar Gupta, all in their 20s, have been arrested in this connection so far. Laddan Mian, considered close to former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, had hired the killers. But, police were yet to find evidence directly linking Shahabuddin with the murder. 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.