Mayawati for impartial probe into Shashi murder case

Lucknow, Dec 7 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today asserted that the state government would probe the Shashi Prasad murder case impartially.

In a brief interaction with mediapersons here this afternoon, Ms Mayawati said her government had already recommended a CBI probe.

''We have written to the CBI...if need be, we will send more reminders (to the CBI),'' she said.

''Since there were allegations of the involvement of a state minister, we recommended a CBI probe...he has already resigned,'' she added.

She said the state police would ensure that the culprits were soon nailed.

On November 7, the state government had recommended a CBI probe in the case and sent a formal letter for it. Later on November 15, a reminder was sent to the CBI, but the central agency had so far not acknowledged the letter.

Besides, efforts had been intensified to arrest another accused in the case, Seema Azad, and police teams were dispatched to all her possible hideouts.

Shashi, a IIIrd year law student of Saket Degree College, went missing on October 22 from Faizabad. Changing statements by Vijay, the former chauffeur of ex-UP food processing minister Anand Sen Yadav, had further puzzled the case.

During interrogation, Vijay sometimes claimed Shashi committed suicide by jumping into the Gomti river in Sultanpur district. At other times, he confessed to having pushed her into the river. On October 31, Vijay surrendered following charges against him.

On November 6, state minister Anand Sen Yadav had to resign from the Mayawati cabinet, after the victim's father alleged his role in the case.

When the Mayawati cabinet took the oath of office in May 2007, Anand could not be sworn in as a minister as he was behind bars in a murder case and he took oath at a later date.

His father Mitra Sen Yadav, an MP, was allegedly involved in a case of human trafficking.

Meanwhile, the missing girl's parents had staged a two-day dharna outside the Vidhan Bhawan here.

The victim's father, mother and younger sister said death penalty for the culprit would only satisfy them. Holding a picture of their daughter, they sat on a dharna on Wednesday.

UNI