FIR against BJP MLA in Dhanbad former deputy mayor’s murder case
SHOOT OUT Accused, also the cousin of the deceased, and five others booked for the killings
BJP MLA Sanjeev Singh, the cousin of Dhanbad’s ex-deputy mayor Neeraj Singh who was gunned down on Tuesday, and five others were booked by police late on Wednesday night in connection with the murder, officials said on Thursday.
Motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted Neeraj’s SUV barely 100 metres from his home on Tuesday and pumped 67 bullets from an AK-47 rifle and pistols into the Congress leader and three others, who were with him inside the vehicle.
Neeraj’s youngest brother, Abhishek Singh alias Guddu Singh, named Sanjeev, Jharia’s BJP legislator, and his younger brother Siddhartha Gautam as the killers in the FIR, which was recorded by deputy superintendent of police (DSP) DN Banka and Saraidhela police station in charge Arvind Singh.
“I was there in Kolakusma when I got a phone call that my brother was shot. As I reached the spot, I saw Jainendra Singh alias Pintu riding a bike and Sanjeev was in the back seat arms hidden in a towel,” Abhishek said in the FIR. Abhishek also claimed that it was Sanjeev who had opened fire on Neeraj. “Sanjeev told me that I killed your brother and you will also face the same consequence,” Abhishek claimed in the FIR.
Neeraj’s mother Sarojini Singh too said she had no doubt that Sanjeev was behind her son’s murder. “We will take revenge. It was the conspiracy of Sanjeev Singh to kill my son,” she alleged.
Sanjeev, however, refuted all the claims and said he was ready to cooperate in the investigation.
“I am not scared of any probe. In fact, I welcome the highest level of inquiry if instituted in the case. I and other accused would extend all cooperation in the investigation.”
Addressing a press conference here at his residence, the legislator said, “No police personnel has approached me so far for interrogation,” he said.
Neeraj, a mechanical engineer, had a bitter political rivalry with Sanjeev. Neeraj had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Jharkhand assembly elections from Jharia constituency on a Congress ticket against Sanjeev.
The police have constituted different teams to search the assailants and a special investigation team of CID was also formed to investigate the murder following the order of Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das.
“Police have recorded the statement and filed a case under relevant sections. Further action would be taken in this regard after consulting senior officers,” DSP Banka said.
Congress and other opposition parties have called for a Dhanbad bandh to protest Neeraj’s murder. Congress supporters blocked Dhanbad-Bokaro road near Putki disrupting vehicular movement since early morning.
Long-distance buses remained off roads and schools and business establishment were shut for the second day on Thursday. However, board examinations were conducted as per schedule.
“No untoward has been reported from other parts of the city so far. Additional police forces have been deployed to maintain law and order,” Banka said.