Relief to Tej Pratap in scribe murder case

In a breather for RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son Tej Pratap Yadav, the CBI on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it did not find anything against him in the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan and gave him a clean chit.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud that as far as Tej Pratap is concerned "they have not been able to link him with any criminal activity in so far as the photograph and the transcript are concerned".

It said it was investigating the involvement of Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Javed, who are already in custody.

The CBI was asked to look into the matter in the wake of a petition by the victim's widow Asha Ranjan alleging proximity between Kaif, Javed, Tej Pratap and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin -- who is now lodged in Tihar jail.

Asha Ranjan had moved the court after a photograph appeared showing Kaif with Tej Pratap at a function.

The top court had on October 17, 2016, asked the Siwan Sessions Judge to submit a report whether the alleged criminals photographed with then Bihar Minister Tej Pratap were proclaimed offenders on the day the pictures were taken.

Disposing of the plea, the court granted liberty to Asha Ranjan to approach the appropriate court in case there is any kind of "deviation" by Tej Pratap "which would fall within the concept of criminality".

Rajdeo Ranjan was gunned down in Siwan district while returning from office on May 13, 2016.

--IANS

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