Cops opt for narco test of suspect

LUCKNOW: Clueless for nearly four months, the city police have finally decided to go for narco analysis examination of one of the suspects in the sensational loot and murder of petrol pump dealer MV Trivedi on March 10. Trivedi, 69, was shot dead outside his house in posh River Bank Colony in Wazirganj when he was going to deposit ` 13 lakh in a bank.

On Tuesday, the police had filed the application in a court seeking per mission of the narco analysis examination of Pradeep Kumar, maternal cousin of the slain petrol pump dealer. Abinav Singh Pundir, in- charge of Wazirganj police station, said the court will decide on the application on July 9, as the suspect’s consent is also a must for the test. Pundir himself is the investigation officer of the case.

Pundir said Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Etawah, was suspect in the case as he was once accused of demanding ` 20 lakh from Trivedi around six months before his murder. He said Kumar had sent the anonymous letter to Trivedi demanding the extortion amount. He was later arrested and even charge-sheeted during police investigation. However, he is out on bail now and was allegedly mounting pressure on Trivedi to settle the matter out of court.

He said, “Kumar was the first suspect in the case and he also had obvious reasons for killing Trivedi. However, no evidence was found against him during the initial police investigation. Kumar also denied involvement in the crime when quizzed after the incident in March”. He said suspicion again turned on Kumar, as Trivedi had no other dispute in his life. Besides, Trivedi’s family also suspected him and gave a written application in this regard, he added.

Pundir said, “There is the possibility that Kumar would have lied during initial quizzing, so now we are opting for narco analysis test. All suspicion will be dispelled if Kumar clears the test”.