BJP demands CBI inquiry into Siwan journalist murder

The BJP today demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing of a journalist in Siwan and hinted about the alleged involvement of a jailed RJD strongman in the murder.
"The needle of suspicion points to a jailed 'bahubali' (muscleman) in the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan. Since such a high profile person is suspected, its a known fact that Bihar police would not be able to do justice to the case. Hence the matter should be handed over to the CBI," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi told PTI.
Modi along with leader of opposition in Legislative Assembly Prem Kumar and state BJP chief Mangal Pandey visited the family of Ranjan, the district bureau chief of Hindi daily "Hindustan", who was shot dead at Station Road under Town police station last night.

Modi, leader of opposition in the Legislative Council, said the family of the victim also sought CBI investigation into the murder case.
The senior BJP leader claimed that recently the Superintendent of Police of Siwan furnished a list of 23 people to the state police headquarters who were "black listed" by jailed RJD strongman and former MP, Mohammad Shahbuddin, and Rajdeo Ranjan's name figured in the list.
"The pattern of murder of the journalist was similar to the recent killings of BJP workers of Siwan, Srikant Bharti and Rajesh Roshan, at the behest of Mohammad Shahbuddin," he said.

BJP would organise a sit-in at Siwan tomorrow to protest against the journalist's murder, said Modi, who was Deputy Chief Minister during NDA rule in the state.

Meanwhile, BJP's ally Hindutani Awam Morcha and
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) also used the journalist's murder to attack Nitish Kumar government.
The murder of the journalist proved that "its not a 'jungle raj' but 'maha jungle raj' (great jungle raj) prevailing in Bihar," Former Chief Minister and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi said in Patna.
"Power has gone into their (criminals') head under the present dispensation," alleged Arun Kumar, state chief of RLSP, the party of Union minister of state Upendra Kushwaha.
Leaders of the ruling grand secular alliance, however, defended the state government.
Tej Pratap Yadav, Health minister and son of RJD president Lalu Prasad, alleged that BJP was hitting at the state government "out of contempt."

He said the state government was initiating prompt action after any incident of crime.
Senior JD(U) leader and Deputy leader in the Legislative Assembly Shyam Rajak condemned killing of scribe in Siwan but attacked BJP for "trying to derive political mileage out of it.