Patna, April 1: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the Rajkishore Keshari murder case, has found enough evidence against Purnea-based journalist Navlesh Pathak to prove that he was trying to blackmail the slain legislator.

Sources in the CBI said the six-member investigating team headed by deputy superintendent of police (DSP) B.D. Bhatt heard the recorded conversation of two-and-a-half hours between Navlesh and Keshari. The officers heard the journalist demanding money from the MLA time and again in the tape in which the telephonic conversation of the duo was recorded.

“Paisa dijiye nahi to chhap denge aur aap muh dikhane ke layak nahi rahenge (give me money else I will publish the report and you will not be able to bear the humiliation),” Navlesh was heard as saying over the phone.

At one point of time, the journalist, who has been charged with abetment of the MLA’s murder, was heard telling Keshari that he would play an important role in settling the legal battle between Rupam and him (the MLA).

“Rape case bhi meri marji se chalega aur khatam hoga (the rape case will continue and end according to my wish),” an investigating officer quoted Navlesh as saying.

The CBI sources said Navlesh filed the protest petition in the court of the chief judicial magistrate only after the MLA refused to oblige him. Rupam had retracted from her earlier statement on June 18, 2010.

“There is no question of filing a protest petition by a person who had nothing to do with the sexual abuse case,” an investigating officer said.

The CBI stumbled upon the recorded conversation between Navlesh and Keshari during the interrogation of the family members of the slain legislator. The CBI had sent the CD (tape) of the recorded conversation for forensic examination to ascertain its authenticity.

The sources said the recorded conversation between Navlesh and Keshari was played in the presence of Ashok Kumar Pathak, the husband of Rupam, in the CBI office in Patna. He was asked to be present in the CBI office in Patna for questioning on March 26.

When Ashok was told to put his side of the story on the allegation of filing a compromise petition in the court in connection with the sexual abuse case after accepting illegal gratification, Ashok said he had never approached the MLA or his men for any obligation except for the approach road for their school.

The investigating team has obtained call details of the conversation between Rupam and Navlesh. They suggested that the two had talked over 1,400 minutes from December 26 to January 3, a day before Rupam stabbed Keshari to death at his ancestral house in full public view.

The CBI also talked to the then Purnea superintendent of police, N.H. Khan (now DIG, Darbhanga), and MP from Purnea Uday Singh to know the credentials of the journalist. The investigating team also contacted a former district magistrate of Purnea to get information about Navlesh, as he was considered close to him.

The investigating officers have so far quizzed Rupam, Ashok and Kumud Mishra, the mother of Rupam. The CBI officers had first questioned the family members of Keshari in Purnea on February 27.

BLACKMAIL

Clue

CD of telephonic conversation between slain MLA Rajkishore Keshari and Purnea-based journalist Navlesh Pathak

Threats

“Paisa dijiye nahi to chhap denge aur aap muh dikhane ke layak nahi rahenge (give me money else I will publish the report and you will not be able to bear the humiliation),” Navlesh was heard as saying

At one point of time, the journalist was heard as telling Keshari that he would play an important role in settling the legal battle between Rupam and him (the MLA)