CBI takes over DSP killing probe, books Raja Bhaiya for murder

Controversial Uttar Pradesh politician Raja Bhaiya was today booked by CBI under murder charges in the killing of police officer Zia-Ul-Haq after the probe into the case was handed over to the central investigating agency.

Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya was named in one of the four FIRs filed by CBI on the basis of complaint given by Haq's wife Parveen Azad in which the five-time Indepedent MLA from Kunda in Pratapgarh district figured. He was earlier booked by the UP police only for criminal conspiracy.

In the case of murder of Zia, who was shot dead in Kunda while on duty on March 2, two FIRs were filed by the UP police --one on the basis of SHO Manoj Shukla's report in which 10 people are suspects and another on the basis of complaint given by Parveen in which Raja Bhaiya along with four others were named. Raja Bhaiya is likely to be questioned by CBI in connection with the probe.

Raja Bhaiya and four others have been accused in the FIR under IPC sections related to murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting, intentional insult to provoke violence among others, CBI sources said.

Both the cases have been taken by up by the CBI for probe as referred by the state government, the sources said. 44-year-old Raja Bhaiya, who resigned as a Cabinet Minister after he was booked for criminal conspiracy, has a criminal record and has been jailed before.

CBI is dispatching a 10-member team of Special Crime investigation officers including forensic specialists tonight to reach the crime site in Kunda and will take over probe, sources said.

"I hope for justice in the CBI probe. CBI must not come under any political pressure," Haq's wife said.

Two other cases which are inter-related with the killing of the DSP--murders of Balipur village head Nanhe Yadav and his brother Suresh Yadav--have also been taken up by the agency for the probe making the total number of FIRs taken by CBI as four, they said.

CBI sources said the agency will start the probe on the basis of FIRs filed by the state police. They made it clear that all the accused have been named by the state government.

The agency would also take up the custody of two accused arrested by the state police--Rajeev Singh and Sanjay Singh alias Guddu Singh considered to be close aide of Raja Bhaiya, they said.