CBI yet to probe Tara Shahdeo case

Ranchi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is yet to take over the Tara Shahdeo case a month after the state government’s recommendation. The central agency’s Ranchi unit on Thursday confirmed that it had not got any missive in this regard.
National shooter Tara Shahdeo, who had alleged that her husband Raqibul Hasan Khan alias Ranjit Kumar Kohli tortured her and forced her to embrace Islam, asked for CBI probe because she felt Khan’s links in the police department and the judiciary might influence Ranchi police’s investigation.
Shahdeo told the TOI the “inordinate delay” was worrying her.
A senior police official said as per the procedure for the transfer of a case, CBI sends an official letter to the SP of the concerned district (in this case Ranchi SSP) requesting him to hand over all evidence and documents to the CBI.
“Of course, the letter is also sent to DGP, home secretary and other top officials, but the SP who is the head of the local investigating agency transfers the case on papers,” said the officer.
Ranchi SSP Prabhat Kumar said, “I have not received any such letter from CBI so far. As and when the letter comes, we will hand over the case to the officials concerned.”
A highly placed source at Ranchi CBI office said, “No CBI official will come here and take up the case without prior intimation to the local office.”
Khan was arrested with his mother, co-accused in love-jihad case, on August 27 in Delhi and has been jailed at since. In the case police have interrogated three judges, two ministers, several senior police officers and friends.
“The case can be investigated properly by CBI only because several powerful people are involved in it. The delay has caused me a lot of stress but still I hope CBI will take up the case and conduct a fair probe,” said Tara Shahdeo.
Tara had even met home minister Rajnath Singh when he visited Ranchi on Tuesday and demanded the case be handed over to CBI. “He had assured me,” she said.