This Article is From Sep 01, 2011

Shehla murder: Police to question BJP MP

Bhopal: BJP Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesman Tarun Vijay will be questioned in connection with the death of Right to Information activist Shehla Masood in Madhya Pradesh.

Vijay Yadav, the Inspector-General of Bhopal, said phone records showed that on August 16, the day she was shot, Ms Masood spoke to Mr Vijay. He said he would send a team to question Mr Vijay in Delhi. The senior police officer did say, however, that Mr Vijay was just one among people who knew Ms Masood and who were being questioned.

In New Delhi, Mr Vijay described Shehla as "a friend, a brave RTI activist" and said he had talked to her on the morning of August 16, also the day Gandhian activist Anna Hazare started his fast in Delhi. Mr Vijay said they talked about Anna's campaign.

Ms Masood was shot in the head in her car in front of her residence in the posh Koh-e-Fiza locality in Bhopal at about 11 am. She was just about to head to a rally that was part of Anna's campaign against corruption.

Mr Vijay said he was shocked at hearing about Ms Masood's murder. "We firmly stand by her family...the culprit should be booked and hanged," he said, promising all help to the police in investigations, emphasising that being among those to be questioned did not make him a suspect.

The Madhya Pradesh government has asked for a CBI inquiry to determine who murdered Ms Masood.  

Commenting on the case, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, ''The manner in which Shehla Masood was killed is truly terrifying. She was killed in broad daylight in an area where many VIPs live. The matter must be investigated. We've already asked for a CBI probe. The Madhya Pradesh CM and Tarun Vijay must hand the case over to CBI.'' He added, ''In fact, he (Tarun Vijay) should ask for a CBI probe himself.''

Shehla, who sat on a fast here recently in support of Anna Hazare's 'India Against Corruption' campaign, had also been working on a number of other projects, including wildlife conservation. She was actively involved in raising issues related to the deaths of tigers in the various sanctuaries of Madhya Pradesh.

She also ran a company called 'Miracles' which used to do various things, including event management. Mr Vijay said her company organised several events for the Shyama Prasad Mookherjee Foundation, which he is closely associated with.
.