CBI announces reward for information about RTI activist Jha's murder
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) yesterday announced a Rs. 5 lakh reward for information about the 2012 murder of a Right to Information (RTI) activist at Maharashtra's Virar. A Special Task Force of the CBI is probing the murder of activist Premkant Shivji Jha. Jha was shot dead by unidentified assailants on February 24, 2012, when he was riding a motorbike. Here's more.
Accidental death case turned into murder case after autopsy report
The STF issued an advertisement in Marathi newspapers yesterday, announcing a cash reward for anyone providing detailed information about the culprits, an official said. The identity of the informant will remain confidential, he added. Initially, in 2012, a case of accidental death was registered at the Virar police station, but it was converted into a murder case when autopsy report revealed a bullet injury.
CBI took over case from anti-human trafficking cell in 2014
The probe was transferred to the police's anti-human trafficking cell first, but no headway was made in identifying the culprits. In October 2014, the CBI took it over on the Bombay High Court's order. In 2016, the CBI had arrested two construction professionals for allegedly hiring contract killers to eliminate Jha as he had sought information about their illegal constructions, the official said.
Jha filed RTI applications, complaints against illegal constructions in Vasai-Virar
Jha was part of 'Brashtachar Va Atyachar Virodhi Samiti', an NGO, and had filed several RTI applications and complaints against illegal constructions in Vasai-Virar area. It was also alleged that Jha extorted money or obtained other favors from builders engaged in illegal constructions.
