The Supreme Court today directed CBI to proceed with the investigation in the slain journalist Rajdev Ranjan’s murder case and directed the Bihar police to provide protection to his family.
A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra also issued notices and sought response from RJD leader Shahabuddin, Bihar health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, and Bihar government on the plea of Ranjan’s wife seeking transfer of the case from Siwan in Bihar to Delhi. The apex court directed the CBI to file a status report of its investigation on 17th of next month, the next date of hearing.
Ranjan’s wife Asha Ranjan had moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of probe and trial in the case to Delhi alleging that media reports had shown two absconding killers of her husband in the company of recently-released RJD leader Shahabuddin and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav.
The scribe, working with a vernacular daily, was shot dead on the evening of May 13 in Siwan town by some sharp- shooters allegedly at the instance of then jailed RJD leader. Shahabuddin, who was in jail for 11 years in connection with dozens of cases, was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 7. He was released from Bhagalpur jail on September 10.