Twin murders: Gujarat govt recommends NIA probe

The Gujarat government has decided for probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the murder case of two BJP leaders in Bharuch as the key conspirators are suspected to be out of India and having links with terror modules. 

The proposal to hand over the probe to the NIA has been signed by the Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, State Director General of Police (DGP) PC Thakur said.

“In the proposal, sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, we have requested the Centre to hand over the probe to the NIA. As per the NIA Act, investigations are handed over to the national agency whenever the local police finds international linkages of local terror modules and perpetrators need to be brought to India,” said Thakur.

The two BJP leaders – former party president of Bharuch district and senior RSS member Shirish Bangali and general secretary of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha of Bharuch district Pragnesh Mistry – were shot by two unidentified gunmen in Bharuch on November 2.

After taking over the probe and arresting nine persons from different parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) claimed that the contract for killing the BJP leaders was allegedly given by absconding 1993 Mumbai serial blasts accused Javed Dawood Patel, also known as Javed Chikna, apparently to avenge riots in Mumbai during 1993 and in Gujarat during 2002.

The contract killing assignment was allegedly given by Chikna to one of the arrested accused Imran Kadri, who then took help of eight others to carry out the murders. Chikna allegedly gave Rs 50 lakh to Kadri to carry out the murders, said officials.