Shashi murder case: probe against ex-UP minister speeds-up

Faizabad, June 10 (UNI) The arrest of absconding accused Seema Azad in the high-profile Shashi murder case has raised fresh complications for former Uttar Pradesh food processing minister Anand Sen Yadav, an alleged complicit in the crime.

Seema, who was absconding for the past nine months, was arrested from Industrial city Kanpur on the evening of June 8 and was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Shailesh Kumar Tiwari yesterday. The Court sent her to judicial custody and ordered her presentation on June 21.

Vijay, the former chauffeur of Anand, was the alleged prime accused in the case.

With Vijay already behind bars and Seema also in custody, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA and former state minister Anand Sen Yadav can be dragged in the case anytime, if proved guilty.

On being questioned, investigating officer Sharad Chandra Pandey said ''the investigations are underway and anyone found guilty would not be spared.'' Shashi, a third year law student at Saket Degree College, had gone missing on October 22, 2007 from Faizabad.

On October 23, 2007, victim's father Yogendra Prasad had registered a case against Vijay and Seema and had spoken of suspecting the hand of the minister in the matter.

The allegations had even brought Anand Sen Yadav's resignation from the Mayawati cabinet. The ex-minister's father Mitra Sen Yadav, an MP, was allegedly involved in a case of human trafficking.

UNI XC-JAS AKJ KN1520