The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the probe into the murder of gangster Munna Bajrangi inside Bagapat district jail July 9, 2018 allegedly by another criminal Sunil Rathi, official said.
The CBI will probe a larger conspiracy including the role of the jail administration and why Bajrangi was brought to the Baghpat jail just 12 hours before his murder.
Last month, the Allahabad high court had directed the CBI to probe the murder on a petition filed by Munna Bajrangi’s widow Seema Singh. It also asked the CBI to file a progress report of the investigation into the case by the next date of hearing on April 20.
Bajrangi, whose real name was Prem Prakash Singh was shot dead inside Baghpat jail barely a week after his wife Seema Singh addressed a press conference in Lucknow accusing the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police of hatching a conspiracy to murder her husband.
Bajrangi was shifted to Baghpat from Jhansi jail around 9:30 pm on July 8, 2018 for an appearance in a local court the next day in an extortion case on. He was shot at 6:20 am when the prisoners were being served tea.
{{/usCountry}}Bajrangi was shifted to Baghpat from Jhansi jail around 9:30 pm on July 8, 2018 for an appearance in a local court the next day in an extortion case on. He was shot at 6:20 am when the prisoners were being served tea.
{{/usCountry}}Four jail officials were suspended after the murder left the government and the police department red-faced.
Bajrangi was an accused in multiple cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion. He was the key accused in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai and seven of his supporters in Ghazipur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh on November 29, 2005. The lawmaker and his supporters were killed in an audacious attack on his motorcade.
Bajrangi had been in jail since January 2009 following his arrest in Mumbai. But even while he was in jail, the gangster allegedly operated an extortion racket with help of his aides.