Kingpin Shahabuddin taken into CBI custody

New Delhi:RJD leader Syed Shahabuddin, who is lodged in Tihar jail, was taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in the 2016 journalist Rajdeo Ranjan murder case. The former MP was taken to the probe agency's headquarters for interrogation. The Special CBI Court of Muzzaffarpur on Friday gave permission to the CBI to take eight days' custody of the RJD leader for probe in the case.

Hindi daily Hindustan's bureau chief Ranjan was shot dead on May 13, 2016. Shahabuddin is one of the accused in the case. The deceased's widow has alleged the involvement of Shahabuddin in the journalist's murder. The CBI had filed a petition on May 22 to make the former MP an accused in the case. Shahabuddin is the tenth accused in the case. The probe agency had filed a charge sheet against seven accused in the matter.

Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Javed are out on bail. Shahabuddin is facing trial in more than 45 criminal cases and was moved to Tihar Jail in February this year on a Supreme Court order on a plea by a native of Siwan, Chandrakeshwar Prasad, whose three sons were killed in separate incidents. (UNI)