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Onkar Singh in New Delhi
Union Minister of State for Home I D Swami has rejected the demand for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigations into the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case.
The demand was made by Madhu Sharma, wife of the prime suspect and senior Indian Police Service officer Ravi Kant Sharma, on Thursday night when she accused Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan of being involved in the murder of the Indian Express correspondent.
She alleged that Mahajan had spoken to Shivani for over 45 minutes over the phone the day she was killed.
Mahajan has denied the charge and offered to submit to a probe by any agency.
"There is no need for an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigations. The Delhi police have done a good job with the case. Handing over the matter to the CBI at this stage would further delay the investigations, which seems to be the reason for demanding a CBI probe," Swami said.
Deepak Chopra, private secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, denied the allegations levelled by Madhu Sharma that the home ministry was trying to protect Mahajan.
"You know Advaniji yourself. He is not the kind of person who would pass any instructions that the investigating agency should protect someone and frame someone. The allegations levelled by the wife of the prime suspect are meant to divert the attention in the hope that it would bring relief to her," Chopra said.
Joint Commissioner (crime branch) Umesh Katna, who is handling the investigations into the murder case, too denied there was any pressure from any quarter. "Let me put it on record that there is no pressure on us, whatsoever, from any quarter," Katna told rediff.com on Friday.
Asked if Mahajan would be examined in the light of the allegations made by Madhu Sharma, Katna said if the lady had any evidence she should come forward with it.
"Merely because someone has said something about a particular individual does not mean that we question him/her, leave alone the question of examining a minister. There has to be something to link the person with the case before we go ahead with questioning," he said.
Did R K Sharma at any point of time tell the police about Mahajan's involvement in the murder?
"Mrs Sharma has made that claim and she alone can answer this question," Katna said.
A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Sharma, who is absconding. On Tuesday, his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a Delhi court. And on the previous Saturday, a local Panchkula court had rejected a similar bail application.
ALSO SEE:Pramod Mahajan denies allegation; ready to face probe
I D Swami rules out CBI probe into Bhatnagar murder
Shivani Bhatnagar Murder: The Complete Coverage
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