Centre lets CBI to probe RTI activist’s murder

The Centre on Friday gave the go-ahead to a CBI probe into the murder of Madhya Pradesh RTI activist Sheila Masood in Bhopal.

The Centre had received a letter from Madhya Pradesh government requesting for a CBI probe into Masood’s murder.

“I have just cleared the file and granted permission for a CBI probe into the case,” said minister of state for department of personnel V Narayanasamy. Masood was shot when she was in her car in front of her residence in the posh Koh-e-Fiza locality in Bhopal on August 16. She was just about to head to a rally that was part of Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption.

Madhya Pradesh Police, probing the case, is likely to question BJP leader Tarun Vijay in connection with the incident.

BJP backs Vijay: Coming out strongly in support of its MP Tarun Vijay, the BJP warned against any attempt to derive political mileage out of Sheila Masood’s murder case. “I think it is an absolute trash. If anyone has an association or friendship or has been supporting a cause, it does not mean he is involved. Tarun Vijay has been a journalist and he has been espousing many causes. It is a sad incident which happened. The investigations are on,” said BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

He stressed that the decision of the police to quiz the MP was “not an embarrassment” to the party, noting that it was wrong to level allegations against any member of Parliament who may be questioned by investigators in the murder case.

Madhya Pradesh BJP president Prabhat Jha said, “No one should try to use the incident as a weapon for deriving political mileage out of the issue. It is a murder incident and the murderer should be caught.”