Journalist Rajdeo murder: CBI in dock after witness it declared dead walks into court

A special court in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, which has been hearing the case of murder of a Siwan-based journalist in 2016, on Friday served a show cause notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after a woman witness declared dead by the probe agency appeared before the judge and alleged foul play in the matter, a lawyer involved in the case said.

A special court in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, which has been hearing the case of murder of a Siwan-based journalist in 2016, on Friday served a show cause notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after a woman witness declared dead by the probe agency appeared before the judge and alleged foul play in the matter, a lawyer involved in the case said.  

Siwan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, who was killed on May 13, 2016. (HT Photo)

There was high drama in the court of additional sessions judge Punit Kumar Garg when Badami Devi, who was made a prosecution witness by CBI in Hindustan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan’s murder case, presented her before the court with her identity documents and an affidavit. “I have been staying in my Kasera Toli residence in Siwan. I was made a witness in the case but no CBI official ever met me. Instead, it declared me dead, which I got to know through newspapers. It points to a conspiracy,” she said in her affidavit.

Earlier, CBI had sought summons for examination of witnesses, which the court issued. However, on May 24 this year, CBI declared Badami Devi dead and also submitted her death verification report before the court.

“CBI’s act seems to be suspicious. It is submitted that CBI is playing a game to falsely implicate the people named as accused in the case,” defence counsel Sharad Sinha said.

“Badami Devi submitted her photo, PAN card and voter I-card. The court was also surprised and served a show-cause notice to CBI,” Sinha said.

Rajdeo Ranjan (42), the bureau chief Hindi daily Hindustan in Siwan, was shot dead at a busy market in Siwan town on May 13, 2016.

On May 17, 2016, the Bihar government had recommended a CBI probe in the case, as requested also by slain journalist’s wife Asha Ranjan.

Later, CBI had quizzed jailed former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin. The former MP, now dead, had refused to undergo a “lie detection” test.

Asha Ranjan told HT that CBI had filed charge sheet against six accused, including Shahabuddin.

To date, CBI has produced 24 witnesses, of which four have turned hostile.