CBI may bring key accused Rathi to Sitapur jail

LUCKNOW:The Central Bureau of Investigation, Lucknow unit is likely to bring dreaded gangster Sunil Rathi to Sitapur district jail from Tihar, to interrogate him in connection with the murder of another gangster Prem Prakash Singh alias Munna Bajrangi. Rat hi is key accused in the murder of Bajrangi, who was shot dead inside Baghpat jail on July 9, 2018.

A senior CBI official revealed that the CBI had written a letter to the authorities concerned to shift him to Sitapur district jail, which is closer to Lucknow, so that he could be interrogated thoroughly and cross-questioned if required. He said the shifting of Rathi was required as Bajrangi’s family was in Lucknow and it would be tough for the investigating team to record statements of both (Rathi as well as Bajrangi’s family members) and cross-question him accordingly. “We need to crossquestion Rathi many times to know the truth ,” He said.

He said Rathi earlier was shifted to Fatehpur jail from Baghpat jail after his involvement surfaced in Bajrangi’s murder. He said the CBI team had also sought details of people who met him in Fatehpur jail and was cross-checking their links to him.

The CBI team had earlier questioned the officials and personnel of Jhansi and Baghpat district jails for two consecutive days on March 17 and 18 in connection with the murder. Sources privy to the investigation said the CBI officials suspected the involvement of some personnel of Jhansi district jail where Bajrangi was lodged for over three years before being shifted to Baghpat district jail on the night of July 8, 2018. He was murdered within a few hours after being shifted and photographs of his bullet-riddled body had gone viral early morning on

RATHI EARLIER WAS SHIFTED TO FATEHPUR JAIL FROM BAGHPAT JAIL AFTER HIS INVOLVEMENT SURFACED IN BAJRANGI’S MURDER.

July 9, 2018.

The CBI had registered an FIR in the matter on March 7, 2018, in compliance with the Allahabad high court order dated February 25, 2018 on a petition filed by Bajrangi’s wife Seema Singh. The petitioner’s contention was that there might be involvement of some mafia in the murder. The petitioner had demanded that the role of jail officials was doubtful and therefore, the investigation must be transferred to the CBI.

Bajrangi, a gangster from eastern UP, was lodged in jail since 2009 in connection for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai in Mohamadabad in Ghazipur district on November 29, 2005, and another BJP leader Ramchandra Singh.