NIA detains ex-minister over rival’s murder

NEWDELHI: The National Investigation Agency has detained for questioning former Jharkhand minister Gopal Krishna Patar in the murder case of rival Ra mesh Singh Mu nd a who was shot dead by Maoists nine years ago, NIA sources said on Sunday.

The Janata Dal (United) ML A’ s murder, said NI A sources, was the result of unlikeliest of alliances — a politician joining hands with Maoists to eliminate a rival and a police man passing on vital information to the rebels.

“Searches are on at four pr em- ises in Jharkhand in connection with the case. Soon, we will formally arrest Raja Peter,” an NIA official told HT on Sunday.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity as the investigation was ongoing and he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The anti-terrorism probe agency on Saturday arrested assistant sub-inspector Sheshnath Singh, who was part of Mu nd a’ s security detail, for allegedly passing information about his movement to the Maoists.

Patar, better known as Raja Peter, paid ~4 crore to the Maois ts, who were upset with Mu nd a over his frequent outbursts against them, NIA sources said.

A former minister, Mu nd a was shot dead in the Bundu town of his Maoist-hit Tamar constituency on July 9, 2008.

Local Maoist leader Kundan Pahan emerged as the main suspect in the attack in which Munda’s two bodyguards and a student were also killed. A day before he was shot, Munda had lashed out at the Left rebels at a public event. For almost nine years, the investigation barely made progress as Pahan was on the run. The probe picked up pace after he gave himself up to police in May this year. It also helped that Mu nd a’ s son, Vikas, was the Tamar MLA and his All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) a part of the ruling alliance led by the BJP.

After Pahan’s surrender, Vikas demanded his father’s murder be probed by a central agency.” Though my father was shot dead by Maoists but we always had a doubt that his political rivals could be behind the murder,” Vikas told HT.

The NIA began the probe in July and questioned Pahan for more than two weeks. “During interrogation, Pahan told us he took ~4 crore from Raja Peter to assassinate( Ra je sh) Mu nd a ,” the NIA official said.

But Peter was not the only one baying for Munda’s blood, he said. The Left rebels also wanted him dead for his anti-Maoist remarks and their central committee had decided to eliminate Munda, the official said.

“According to Pahan it was Peter who bankrolled the operation,” said the NIA official.

Pahan was paid the promised ~4 crore but instead of handing over the money to his bosses, he kept most of it for himself.

FORMER JHARKHAND MINISTER GOPAL KRISHNA PATAR IS BEING QUESTIONED; HE IS FACING ALLEGATIONS OF PAYING ₹4 CR TO MAOISTS FOR THE JOB