‘Raja’s aides plotted pradhan murder’

Sources said Ajay Pal and his brother Vijay,who have been arrested in the case of murder of the pradhan,have said during interrogation that Guddu and Nanhey Singh had decided on March 2 on the attack. They had collected information about Nanhey Yadav visiting his in-laws that day and returning in the evening. They also had information that Yadav was carrying his licensed rifle with him,but he was not accompanied by any other armed men or associates.

It was part of the plan that Guddu Singh stayed in Lucknow on March 2,and visited an ATM there,around the time the pradhan was shot,in order to show his presence in the CCTV footage. He was the first to call up the then station officer of Hathigawan police station Manoj Shukla and inform about the pradhan’s murder. The SO had informed the CBI in this regard,the sources said.

The CBI will question Nanhey Singh about his role in the conspiracy of pradhan’s murder in the presence of Ajay and Vijay,who were remanded in CBI custody for two more days today,added the sources.

Guddu,along with his brother Rajeev,is in jail in the pradhan murder case since March 4. Nanhey Singh has not been arrested.

Ajay and Vijay revealed during interrogation that Guddu Singh and Nanhey Singh had been instigating them and their father Kamta Pal since January this year to eliminate pradhan Nanhey Yadav or he would keep creating trouble for them. Guddu and Nanhey allegedly assured Pal and his sons of all assistance required for the attack on pradhan,the sources said.

During interrogation,Ajay and Vijay told the CBI that Nanhey Yadav and his brother Suresh,who were history-sheeters,had been harassing their family ever since they had a property dispute with them last year.

Kamta Pal and Ajay would run to the Benti palace to seek help of Raja Bhaiyya or his aides whenever Nanhey Yadav or his brother Suresh harassed or humiliated them. At least twice,Ajay said,his father Kamta had visited the Lucknow residence of Raja Bhaiyya seeking help when pradhan’s son allegedly lured a girl of the Pal family and eloped. The boy returned with the girl after 15 days and Suresh slapped Kamta publicly when he had complained against the boy.

Ajay revealed during interrogation that Nanhey Singh and Guddu allegedly instigated them and their father to take a decision on killing the pradhan and they would provide all help,sources said.

Nanhey and Guddu had introduced a criminal to Vijay and their nephew Sanjay for carrying out the attack on pradhan. The CBI is interrogating Ajay and Vijay for the arrest of Sanjay and the criminal and recovery of weapons,the sources said.