Chhapra, July 22: Reena Devi, the widow of slain jail doctor Budhdeo Singh, today accepted the compensation cheque of Rs 10 lakh from labour minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal at the circuit house. Handing over the cheque, Sigriwal said justice would be done with her family.
The Gopalganj jail inmates killed Dr Singh on May 29. Holding administrative laxity responsible for this gruesome murder, chief minister Nitish Kumar recommended a CBI probe into the case.
Kamal Singh, the brother of Reena Devi, said he and Reena Devi met the chief minister at his official residence a week back in the presence of Sigriwal and home secretary Amir Subhani.
Reena Devi had submitted a letter to Nitish urging him to enhance the compensation amount and provide government jobs to her two sons. She had also urged to pro- vide the post-retirement benefits of her husband at the earliest.
Kamal said the chief minister referred the physically challenged son of Reena Devi to the health department and assured that the government would bear the expenses of his treatment. The other son would be provided with a government job, the chief minister told Kamal.
When Reena Devi expressed concern over no progress in the CBI probe, Nitish told her that the central investigation agency had asked one of the IPS officers, Rakesh Rathi, to constitute a team and initiate the work of inquiry. Maybe the shortage of hands was causing the delay, the chief minister said.
The state government acted swiftly after Dr Singh’s murder and transferred the district magistrate as well as the jail superintendent. The jailor was suspended.
The family members of Dr Singh had alleged that jailor Krishna Singh was responsible for his murder. They had raised fingers at the role of the civil surgeon then also.
The chief minister had sent home secretary Amir Subhani to the native village of Dr Singh at Naini in Saran district with a cheque of Rs 10 lakh as ex gratia but Reena Devi had refused to accept it. She had said that no amount could compensate the loss she had incurred.
