2 years after Mumbai RTI activist's murder, family still awaits justice

Premkant Jha, a whistleblower and RTI activist, was shot dead in broad daylight on 24 February, 2012, while he was returning to his Phoolpada residence in Virar (East). On August 24, the Bombay high court had slammed the state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for dragging its feet in the case, and transferred it to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Despite this, not a single arrest has been made, with the family alleging political influence.

Jha's son Mihir had pleaded in front of the high court to transfer the case to the CBI as the CID had done nothing in the case. However, the family now says that the CBI too is doing the same.

"My father had been working to expose several scams in the local civic body and had taken a firm stand against mafias who had political connections. He was killed in order to stop him from opening a can of worms, said Bipin, Jha's other son.

"We have been fighting for justice for the past 2 years. We firmly believe that the state CID did not take any action due to political connections. The CBI did not arrest the accused due to the same reason," he added.

"When the high court ordered a CBI inquiry it also slammed the CID for lacunae in its investigation. Despite us informing the officials about several accused, none of them were interrogated, nor arrested. We want justice and will not rest quietly until the case is solved and my husband's assailants are arrested," said Anita, the activist's wife.