Tags:
Journalism of Courage
An Uttar Pradesh police officer who went to the Allahabad High Court saying he and his family were being harassed by the state government ever since he acted against Kunda8217;s controversial MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh, better known as Raja Bhaiyya and now a minister in the state, was killed in what authorities call a road accident late last night.
Incidentally, the High Court, ruling today on DSP Ram Shiromani Pandey8217;s petition, ordered a CBI inquiry against officials posted in Kunda when Raja Bhaiyya was booked under POTA in 2003.
Allahabad DIG Gopal Lal Meena ruled out foul play. 8220;Pandey died in a road accident. He had been given Y-security on government orders,8221; he said.
In his petition to the High Court, Pandey had said that the vigilance committee had registered a case against him and that his family was being harassed by the state government. 8220;I want a CBI inquiry into the act, conduct and activities of officers deployed in Kunda when POTA was invoked against Raja Bhaiyya in 2003. I feel no state investigating agency can do justice to me because all these are under direct control of the state government which seems prejudiced against me in this case,8221; his petition stated.
Acting on the petition, a division Bench of the Allahabad High Court, comprising Justice R C Deepak and G P Srivastava, ordered a CBI inquiry today, instructing that the probe be completed in five months and the report submitted to the court. As Circle Officer of Kunda in 2003, Pandey acted against Raja Bhaiyya and arrested his father Uday Pratap Singh. He later complained he was receiving threats.
