BJP MLA murder case: CBI to be given original documents

Ghazipur, July 25 (UNI) A local court today ordered that all the original documents related to BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai's murder be handed over to the CBI, which is investigating the case following an order of the Allahabad High Court.

The central agency had submitted an application in this regard before Special Judge (SC/ST Act) Amarnath Upadhyay.

These documents include FIR, chargesheet, police files and other related records in original.

Earlier, the elite Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police was investigating the case.

However, Rai's widow Alka petitioned the HC demanding a CBI probe alleging slack and partisan inquiry by the police to shield the guilty.

On May 23, the HC handed over the inquiry to the central agency.

The UP government had even approached the apex court against the HC order. But, the apex court refused to grant stay on the matter.

Ever since, CBI took over the probe, two of Rai's closest aides have allegedly been killed.

Yesterday, armed miscreants had shot dead an aide of the slain BJP MLA under Bhanwarkol police station area here.

Police said the criminals barged into the house of Awadh Bihari Rai alias Naga Rai in village Sherpur around 0100 hrs and shot him.

Naga died on way to hospital.

Later, a case was had been registered against five persons.

Recently, the only eye-witness of the BJP leader's killing had died under mysterious circumstances in Ghazipur. However, local police had claimed that he committed suicide.

Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad assembly constituency in Ghazipur, and his seven supporters were shot dead in broad daylight in Ghazipur on November 29, 2005.

They were ambushed near the Ballia-Ghazipur border by several motorcycle-borne miscreants armed with sophisticated weapons.

On a writ petition of the BJP MLA's widow, Allahabad High Court on May 23 had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to hand over the probe to CBI, which has already started its investigation.

Ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari, his younger brother don-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari and brother-in-law Ejaz are prime accused in Rai's assassination.

The trio are presently lodged in Ghazipur district prison.

UNI XC/VS PA ND2020