Slain Scribe Rajdeo Ranjan’s Wife Files FIR Over Death Threats

“I’m terrified,” said Asha Ranjan who allegedly received phone calls from people threatening to chop her into pieces

Rajdeo Ranjan (right), the journalist who was shot dead in Siwan, and his wife Asha Ranjan. (Photo: The Quint)

Slain journalist Rajdeo Ranjan's wife Asha Ranjan lodged a First Information Report (FIR) alleging death threats. She said she was asked to back out from pursuing a case against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) strongman and former Siwan MP, Mohammad Shahabuddin, in connection with her husband’s killing.

The 45-year-old Siwan district chief of the Hindi daily, Hindustan was shot in Siwan, Bihar near Station Road. Ranjan had been writing for a long time against law-breakers in the area.

Also Read: Two Detained in Journalist Rajdev Ranjan’s Murder: Bihar Police

‘I’m Terrified’

Mufassil police station SHO Vinay Kumar Singh said Asha filed the FIR on Wednesday after allegedly receiving a phone call from Dubai, warning her to withdraw the murder case against Shahabuddin in the Supreme Court.

I got a call from +671 at 12:28 am (on the intervening night of 26-27 December). The caller asked me if I knew Shahabuddin. Once I replied in the affirmative, he said there has been a lot of drama and now, I should withdraw the case filed in the Supreme Court against Shahabuddin.

Asha Ranjan in FIR

She claimed that the people threatened to chop her and her family into pieces to make it difficult to identify their bodies.

I am terrified. Please help me as we have repeatedly been getting threat calls. Even the security provided to our family is only on paper.

Shahbuddin’s Bail Cancelled on 30 September

The widow had moved the apex court, seeking a transfer of the probe and trial of her husband's murder case to Delhi from Siwan. She feared that a free and fair trial against Shahabuddin would not be possible if he was lodged in a Bihar jail.

Shahabuddin is currently lodged in Siwan jail after the apex court, on 30 September, cancelled his bail after hearing the two petitions filed by the Bihar government and lawyer Prashant Bhushan on behalf of the slain scribe's family.

The Bihar government had, on 16 May, within three days of the murder, handed over the probe to the central agency.

Source: PTI