CBI has filed a chargesheet against eight people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a London-based NRI businessman even as the agency has kept the investigations open to examine the conspiracy angle in the case.
The chargesheet was filed on Friday evening against eight people, belonging to Chakma tribe, before a designated court in Guwahati who were charged with various sections of Indian Penal Code pertaining to kidnapping for ransom and murder as the agency alleged they had killed industrialist Protul Deb.
Those chargesheeted included Sardev Chakma, Krishna Medhar Chakma, Kalpuna Chakma, Roopdhan Chakma, Sahrdev Chakma, Batipura Chakma, Khegun Chakma and Raiput Chakma, agency sources said in New Dehi on Saturday.
During its investigations, the CBI found that these people had kidnapped Deb along with his friend on March 17, 2004 and later killed him. They buried the body near a river bed after the police started tightening the cordon in search of the industrialist.
Ironically, the abductors had taken ransom of Rs 2.5 lakh from the family members of Deb on two occasions even after he was already killed by then.
{{/usCountry}}Ironically, the abductors had taken ransom of Rs 2.5 lakh from the family members of Deb on two occasions even after he was already killed by then.
{{/usCountry}}Assam's Social Welfare Minister Gautam Roy, who is also the brother-in-law of the deceased, was also questioned by the CBI along with his son during the investigations, the sources said and added that they had not been booked by the CBI as there was no evidence against them.
The minister's name surfaced after the complaint made by relatives of the deceased.