The Supreme Court on Friday sought a report from the CBI on photographs in which former Bihar health minister and RJD chief’s son Tej Pratap Yadav is seen posing with a proclaimed offender Mohammad Kaif.
The direction came on a petition filed by Asha Ranjan, whose husband and journalist Rajdeo Ranjan was murdered in Siwan district in Bihar.
Kaif is an accused in Ranjan's murder and was absconding in the case when the photographs surfaced in the media. Kaif is alleged to be a sharp-shooter for Siwan strongman and jailed RJD leader Mohd Shahabuddin.
Police investigation
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra directed the CBI to find out the progress made by the local police in its investigation into the photos. The court ordered Ms. Ranjan's counsel, advocate A.R.M. Pandey, to provide the CBI counsel and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta with a transcript of a press conference held by the Siwan police chief assuring investigation into the photographs. The court ordered the CBI to file a report in four weeks.
"It was expedient on the part of the Siwan Superintendent of Police to file an FIR... he miserably failed to take action. Kaif is now out on bail... Both Kaif and Javed (another accused in the Ranjan case) were remanded only after the writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court,” Mr. Pandey submitted.
‘Harbouring accused’
The counsel submitted that serious action should be taken against Mr. Tej Pratap for “harbouring and screening” offenders.
Responding to the submissions, Mr. Tej Pratap's counsel explained that his client was attending a public function and a “man came up and gave me a bouquet of flowers”.
“Nobody says that I was seen with Kaif prior to the murder,” Tej Pratap's counsel said.