The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has adopted a three-pronged approach in their probe into the murder of senior UP police officer Zia-Ul Haque and two other men in Kunda. While questioning of the policemen who deserted Haque is on, the agency is also looking for witnesses and hunting for his service revolver and the bullet that killed him.
Deputy superintendent of police Haque had been killed in Kunda's Balipur village on March 2, along with two other men, gram pradhan Nanhey Yadav and his brother Suresh. The case made waves as minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya was named an accused and had to step down.
The questioning of Singh is not on the cards yet. But the agency is likely to verify reports that within hours of the Kunda circle officer's murder, two of the accused had allegedly met in Lucknow and had even gone to meet a "high-profile public servant" there. The agency is also verifying if Haque had prepared a dossier on Singh six months ago.
On Sunday, the team questioned several police officers – including suspended station officer of Hathigawan Manoj Shukla. The agency was trying to zero-in on Haque's killers by grilling officers likely to have seen them, said a senior officer.
The hunt for other eyewitnesses, though, is not proving easy. With the men of Balipur village -- where Haque was murdered - fleeing in droves, the agency set up an office in Kunda to collect information. "Many potential male witnesses have fled their homes," said a CBI officer in Delhi. "We appeal to them to return and assist the CBI," read the agency's appeal, which was released to the media. The three brothers and son of Nanhey Yadav have gone into hiding as well. "My brothers' killers have been seen around Balipur and we have moved to Allahabad to save our lives," Phoolchandra Yadav told HT on phone. Plus, the police have been "harassing" them.
{{/usCountry}}The hunt for other eyewitnesses, though, is not proving easy. With the men of Balipur village -- where Haque was murdered - fleeing in droves, the agency set up an office in Kunda to collect information. "Many potential male witnesses have fled their homes," said a CBI officer in Delhi. "We appeal to them to return and assist the CBI," read the agency's appeal, which was released to the media. The three brothers and son of Nanhey Yadav have gone into hiding as well. "My brothers' killers have been seen around Balipur and we have moved to Allahabad to save our lives," Phoolchandra Yadav told HT on phone. Plus, the police have been "harassing" them.
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