The CBI is set to soon take up the investigation into Siwan journalist Rajdev Ranjan's murder in May this year.

The journalist's widow, Asha Ranjan, met Union home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi last week to press for the CBI probe. On Tuesday, she told The Telegraph: "The Union home minister has promised that a formal order for taking up the investigation of the case by the CBI will be issued by the Centre shortly."

Asha, in her petition to Rajnath, said she feared gangster-politician Shahabuddin could tamper with evidence now that he is out on bail.

"I also fear threat to my life and my family members from Shahabuddin," she said, adding that police have charge-sheeted Laddan Mian and five others but failed to establish the murder motive.

She alleged that the conspiracy was hatched by Shahabuddin from behind bars.

Asha, a government school teacher in Siwan, told the Union home minister that her family was living in constant fear ever since the news about the RJD leader's release spread. "I have been forced to keep my son out of the town to let him pursue his class XI education," she revealed.

She lives with her eight-year-old daughter, father in-law Radhe Choudhary and mother in-law Sankesia Devi.

The state government had recommended a CBI probe two days after the murder, but the central agency had expressed inability to take up the investigation as the case had already been cracked by the Siwan police, said sources in the CBI.

"We have been asked to be mentally prepared to accomplish the task," a senior CBI official said.

Siwan superintendent of police Saurav Kumar Sah said he had not received any communication from the CBI.

Shahabuddin has denied involvement in the murder.

"I have nothing to do with the case," the convicted gangster, who greeted people at his native village Pratappur in Siwan on Tuesday on Id, told The Telegraph. "Had she (Asha) to say anything about me, she should have mentioned it in court. Instead, she is accusing me from a public platform and that too at the instance of a politician."

Siwan BJP MP Om Prakash Yadav had accompanied Asha to Delhi.

Asked what he would do if the government slapped the Crime Control Act (CCA) against him, Shahabuddin said: "I will do what I have to do. I have always been the way I want. Whatever the government wants to do, it can do - what can I comment on that?"