WHY DO the STF sleuths ignore collecting information about dreaded gangsters Munna Bajrangi and Sanjiv Maheshwari alias Jeeva? Why is it that no recommendation is made for reward on Jeeva, although he has committed more heinous crimes than Firdaus?
If the sources in UP Police are to be believed, pressure from power-that- be, under the influence of jailed don-turned MLA Mukhtar Ansari, is the only answer to all the queries related to the developments in the BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case.
Sources also revealed that Mukhtar had stopped patronising Firdaus as the latter had come into contact with a don-turned MLA from Rae Bareli. Firdaus was a close aide of this MLA before joining the Mukhtar bangwagon. But, after the killing of BJP MLA, Firdaus had contacted his former mentor for help. The Rae Bareli MLA, too, needed Firdaus to bump off his (MLA’s) arch rival in the same district. Firdaus had assured his mentor of completing the job and he got a hefty sum from the MLA.
To hatch conspiracy, Firdaus had visited the MLA’s residence at Gomti Nagar in Lucknow a few weeks back. But, Firdaus had shifted to Kolkata as the STF team came to know of his visit. It was believed that Mukhtar, who had come to know about Firdaus’ meeting with the Rae Bareli MLA, passed on the information to the cops about him. Soon after the investigation into the massacre in Ghazipur was handed over to the STF, the senior cops recommended a reward on the heads of Firdaus and Munna. In the massacre, eight persons, including Rai, were shot dead. The government, too, announced a reward of Rs 50,000 on the heads of each criminal.
{{/usCountry}}To hatch conspiracy, Firdaus had visited the MLA’s residence at Gomti Nagar in Lucknow a few weeks back. But, Firdaus had shifted to Kolkata as the STF team came to know of his visit. It was believed that Mukhtar, who had come to know about Firdaus’ meeting with the Rae Bareli MLA, passed on the information to the cops about him. Soon after the investigation into the massacre in Ghazipur was handed over to the STF, the senior cops recommended a reward on the heads of Firdaus and Munna. In the massacre, eight persons, including Rai, were shot dead. The government, too, announced a reward of Rs 50,000 on the heads of each criminal.
{{/usCountry}}Significantly, the Govt had declined the request for a CBI probe into the case despite all efforts made by top BJP leaders and kin of the slain MLA.
Initially, the STF officials had made all efforts to trace out the shooters. But, soon the then SSP STF Akhil Kumar went to the US on an official tour and the team engaged in the task was assigned other jobs.
The investigation then done into the case had revealed the name of Sanjiv Maheshwari alias Jeeva, too. The call details had established the involvement of Jeeva, Munna and Firdaus in the Ghazipur massacre and the evidence also indicated that the trio was in regular contact with Ansari lodged in the Ghazipur jail.
However, the cops did not recommend reward on Jeeva in connection with the murder of Rai on November 29. Sources revealed that Mukhtar’s influence did not allow the cops to initiate action against Jeeva and Munna.