Murder case of Delhi businessman Manoj Vashisht handed over to CBI

New Delhi: The Home Ministry has handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the probe into the gunning down of a businessman by police at a restaurant in the city nearly two months ago, official sources said.

The family of Manoj Vashisht, who was shot dead by a team of the special cell of the Delhi Police at a Sagar Ratna restaurant in Rajendra Nagar on May 16, had alleged that it was a fake encounter.

Vashisht’s family had met Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently and urged him to transfer the probe from the Delhi Police to the CBI. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also assured the family of Vashisht, hailing from Baghpat, that he would write to the Home Minister for a CBI probe.

Vashisht, who was wanted in several cases of fraud and other crimes, was hit by a bullet in a gun-fight with an eight-member team of special cell. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. CCTV footage of the encounter which was released by the police shows two policemen getting into a scuffle with Vashishth before he slumps after being shot.

Police had claimed that seeing him firing shots from his licenced revolver, a constable had fired on him in a bid to incapacitate him which led to his death. However, Vashishth’s wife Priyanka and other family member had alleged that he was killed in a fake encounter.

Immediately after the incident, a special investigative team was formed by the Delhi Police to find out the circumstances leading to the gun-fight. A separate vigilance inquiry was also being conducted by the Delhi Police.

PTI