ABVP leaders booked for murder

A day after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan declared Professor HS Sabharwal8217;s death an accident, the Madhya Pradesh police today booked state ABVP president Shashi Ranjan Akela and general secretary Vimal Tomar for his alleged murder outside Ujjain8217;s Madhav College.

DGP Swaraj Puri said the CID, which took over investigation from the Ujjain Police late on Tuesday, had got evidence against the two. Tomar and Akela were remanded in CID custody for two days on Thursday, a day after they surrendered. Till Wednesday evening, the police said they had no evidence against anyone in connection with the murder. On Thursday, the two were booked. The police, however, did not reveal the nature of evidence they had, saying it would hamper investigation. They added that at least six or seven more ABVP members were involved.

Meanwhile, the 23 NSUI activists who were remanded in judicial custody on Wednesday over a rioting case on August 26, when Prof Sabharwal was murdered, were released on bail today.

Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi has submitted a memorandum to the Governor seeking permission to lodge a criminal complaint against the Chief Minister for trying to influence the ongoing investigation.