Bihar police files closure report in Chhotan Shukla murder case after 26 years

Chhotan was the brother of former JD (U) MLA from Lalganj, Vijay Kumar alias Munna Shukla.

Having failed to crack Bihar People’s Party (BPP) leader Kaushlendra alias Chhotan Shukla’s murder case and a couple of other murder cases related to it, the Bihar police on Friday filed a closure report, after 26 years, before the CJM court in Muzaffarpur, citing insufficient evidence.

Chhotan Shukla’s murder had triggered off a chain of crimes, including the killing of Gopalganj district magistrate G Krishnaiah. (Shutterstock Image)

Chhotan’s murder had triggered off a chain of crimes, including the killing of Gopalganj district magistrate G Krishnaiah, 35, by an irate mob in 1994.

Chhotan, a resident of a village in Vaishali and the brother of former JD (U) MLA from Lalganj, Vijay Kumar alias Munna Shukla, was gunned down on December 4, 1994 in Muzaffarpur, when he, with four others, was returning from an election meeting at Keshariya assembly constituency.

A murder case was lodged on the basis of statement of the then sub-inspector of Brahmpura police station, Ravindra Kumar, against unidentified criminals.

“After probing for 26 years, the police filed a final report in the court for case closure on the grounds of insufficient evidence. In the final report, all the evidence that was available and could be gathered during the probe and the gaps in evidence, have been detailed,” said the investigating officer of the case, Kailash Yadav.

Police officials said an RJD minister Brijbihari Prasad was shot dead at Patna’s Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was undergoing treatment, in June 1998. The motive was cited as revenge for Chhotan Shukla’s murder, since Brijbihari Prasad was alleged to be involved in the killing.

His brother-cum- deputy mayor Manmardan Shukla said he will seek legal help from senior lawyers.