Supreme Court orders security cover for wife of slain Bihar journalist

The Supreme Court, on Friday, deprecated the nexus between politicians and criminals in Bihar and ordered police protection to the widow of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, former rep-orter of Dainik Hindustan, who was murdered on May 13 by a group of persons.

The apex court also dir-ected the Central Bureau of Investigation to proceed with its probe into the murder of the journalist.

Passing the orders in a writ petition filed by Asha Ranjan, wife of the journalist, a bench of Justices Di-pak Misr and C. Nagappan said, “The case at hand depicts a disturbing affair in that regard for the two main accused — Mohd. Kaif and Mohammed Javed. Though they hold a party position and position in the political executive, yet they do not even think for a moment before associating themselves with such kind of anti-social elements and, in fact, sometimes render assistance.”

The petitioner’s counsel, Kislay Panday, submitted that if the investigation and trial takes place in Bihar’s Siwan district, the main accused will terrorise the witnesses as a consequence of which the petitioner would not get any justice and remain a constant victim searching for solace.

Accepting this submission, the bench said, “On a perusal of the petition, it is prima facie discernible that the petitioner, who lives with two small children, after losing her husband and the developments that have taken place in Siwan district, is in a state of continuous fear. It has been said that courage is the mother of all virtues and a man with courage can always sustain his or her dignity. But, sometimes, situations are created by certain powerful protagonists which instil fear in the mind of a citizen and that fear has the potentiality to usher in atrophy to the sense of dignity.”

The bench directed the superintendent of police, Siwan district, to provide police protection to the petitioner and her family.

The bench while issuing the notice asked counsel for Bihar Gopal Singh to instruct the the home secretary of the state of Bihar to see to it that the two key accused are served the notice.

Referring to the submission of Mr. Panday that though the investigation has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by notification dated 16.05.2016, the investigation has not yet progressed and the petitioner who has two children has been compelled to live in constant fear, the Bench asked the CBI to file a status report on the probe conducted and posted the matter for further hearing on October 17.