Rajkishore Keshari

Patna, Jan. 9: Slain BJP MLA of Purnea Rajkishore Keshari squarely blamed the arrested journalist, Navlesh Pathak, for his murder minutes before he breathed his last.

“Navlesh Pathak marwa diya (Navlesh got me killed)” were his last few words.

Keshari was stabbed to death by Rupam Pathak on January 4. Sudip Keshari, the slain MLA’s nephew, quoted Keshari’s last words in the FIR lodged against Rupam, Navlesh and an unidentified person at Khajanchi Haat police station.

Navlesh was arrested from his ancestral house at Bhatott village under Barhara police station, about 30km off Purnea, late on Wednesday night. He has been charged under sections 120(B) (hatching a conspiracy) and 109 (abetment of crime) of IPC. Initially, the case was lodged under sections 302 and 120(B) of IPC, but the police later petitioned in the court to include Section 109 in the FIR.

Investigations have revealed that Navlesh had spoken to Rupam on her mobile for about 10 minutes at 7.45pm on January 3. Moreover, Sudip, in the FIR, alleged that Navlesh was spotted near the MLA’s residence just before the incident.

“Navlesh was in constant touch with Rupam. The call details of their mobile phones established this,” said Purnea superintendent of police (SP) Nayyar Hasnain Khan.

Navlesh had made more than 131 calls on Rupam’s mobile between November and January 4.

During investigation, Navlesh said he shifted his family from Purnea town to his ancestral house on December 31. He also managed to secure a job for his wife Roma in another school at a monthly remuneration of Rs 2,000. Earlier, Roma worked as a teacher in the school of Rupam, who tried to locate Keshari’s personal assistant, Bipin Rai, on the fateful day.

“During interrogation she admitted to have contacted Rai on his mobile at 8.38am to ascertain his whereabouts. The conversation, however, lasted a few seconds only. Perhaps, after ascertaining the caller’s identity, Rai might have disconnected the call,” said sub-inspector and station house officer of Khajanchi Haat Arvind Kumar, also the investigating officer of the case.

The police claimed that Rupam’s act was premeditated. She told the police that before stepping into Keshari’s courtyard, she repeatedly checked the knife in her bag.

“Keshari became visibly upset after seeing me walking towards him. He offered me a chair where eight to 10 persons were seated. Then he sought to know the reason behind my visit. When I told him that I wanted to talk to him in private, he insisted that we spoke at that spot. Finally, he relented and walked towards a makeshift tent. At this moment, I became alert. As the MLA took 10-12 steps, I took out the knife and covered it under my shawl. As he bent to sit on the chair he was carrying with him, I stabbed him from behind,” Rupam reportedly told her interrogators.

“These show that she (Rupam) had made up her mind on the fateful day to kill either of the two — Rai or Keshari,” said the investigating officer.

“Rai was my first target,” the investigating officer quoted Rupam as saying. But she attacked the MLA, as Rai could not be seen, he said, adding that she took the extreme step out of frustration.

“She (Rupam) had visited her in-laws’ house on December 31 where she was rebuked by her father in-law, Krishanand Pathak,” the police officer quoted Rupam as saying.

Claiming that the district police had gathered all the evidence in the murder case, the Purnea SP told The Telegraph he was waiting for the CBI team to take over the investigation.

“The home department has sent the recommendation for a CBI probe to the ministry of home affairs. The CBI is yet to take a decision,” said Bihar director-general of police Neel Mani today.

Assault FIR

The Khajanchi Haat police have lodged an FIR against 1,000 persons in connection with the brutal assault on Rupam at Keshari’s house on January 4.

The Purnea SP said the complaint was lodged on the basis of the statement of a woman constable, Madhuri Kumari, present at the spot of the crime.