Another case slapped on Raja Bhaiyya

Lucknow (IANS): Another case was filed against former Uttar Pradesh minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya, the accused in the killing of a village headman and a police officer, on Saturday when a prime eyewitness accused him of intimidation and threatening his life. The case was registered at the Sangramgarh police station in Pratapgrah district after Diwakar Tripathi, a witness, said he had been intercepted by bike-borne men who asked him to pull out of the case or else he would be killed. Following the threat, he approached the local police station where a case was filed against the Kunda legislator under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Raja Bhaiyya had late Friday met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for over 20 minutes during which he reiterated that he had no hand in the killing of either the Balipur village pradhan Nanhe Yadav, his brother Suresh or Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Zia-ul-Haq. The meeting came close to the notice sent by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is probing the triple murder, to Raja Bhaiyya. The agency has already grilled close associates of the former minister and has questioned his cousin Akshay Pratap Singh alias Gopal ji. Parveen Azad, widow of the slain cop had alleged that Raja Bhaiyya had a hand in the killing of her husband. Later, family members of the deceased village pradhan and his brother had also alleged that Raja Bhaiyya was threatening them not to name him in the case. They are staging a sit-in demanding more security for themselves. Raja Bhaiyya was not available for comments.