Shehla Masood's murder still shrouded in mystery

Bhopal, Sep 30: Almost a month after CBI took over investigations into the murder Madhya Pradesh RTI activist Shehla Masood, her killing is still shrouded in mystery as the probe agency continues to look for answers, remaining tight-lipped about the progress in the case.

"We are not in a position to share any details about the case looking at the sensitivity associated with the murder of the RTI activist," CBI's Bhopal Unit Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Hemant Priyadarshi told PTI.

The sensational murder took place on August 16, in front of Masood's house in the posh Kohe-E-Fiza locality when she was shot dead while entering her Santro car to leave for an anti-corruption rally which was being organised here as part of Anna Hazare's India Against Corruption movement.

Following this a case was registered and the CBI took over the probe on September 3. As parts of its investigations, the agency recreated the scene of the crime in front of her house and probed all possible angles to get to the bottom of the case.

Groping in dark for clues, the CBI on September 16, announced a reward of Rs five lakh to the person who provides reliable information to arrest those involved in the activist's killing.

The issue also took a political turn in view of Shehla's association with BJP's Rajya Sabha member, Tarun Vijay, with whom she had worked on a number of projects.

She had also filed several RTI applications against many powerful persons including forest, police and culture department officials besides mining department persons.

The RTI activist was also a tiger conservationist and had filed applications on the issue of dwindling population of big cats in the country.

The mysterious murder has baffled Bhopal Police as it took place in a locality where houses are densely situated. Also, it was surprising that no one heard the gunshots.

Shehla's father, Masood Sultan when contacted about the progress in the case said he was not an expert to offer any comment on the CBI probe.

Former district president of Congress Minority Cell, S M Salman alleged that evidences were destroyed at the initial stage of the crime.

"Her cell phone was also tampered with. All this suggest a conspiracy to protect high and mighty people," he said.

The party's minority cell is staging a sit-in at the Iqbal Maidan here this afternoon to protest the slow progress in the investigations.

PTI