Guwahati, May 17 :     The CBI has set June as the ?final deadline? for submission of its report on the killing of journalist Parag Das, whose third death anniversary was observed here today as ?journalists? solidarity day?. Das was the executive editor of the Guwahati-based Asomiya Pratidin when he was shot dead at the entrance to a school in the city on May 17, 1996. He had gone to the school to fetch his son, who watched helplessly as the assailants pumped bullets into his father. The journalist?s killing took place within 48 hours of the Prafulla Kumar Mahanta-led coalition government being sworn in. Prior to the CBI taking over the case, police suspected surrendered Ulfa (Sulfa) leader Dhekiyal Phukan of masterminding the killing. However, a CBI source told The Telegraph over phone from Calcutta this morning that the suspects were ?a different set of people and not those whose involvement the police initially suspected?. Asked if it meant that the alleged involvement of the Sulfa in the killing could be ruled out, he said, ?We do not know who is a Sulfa activist. To us, the term appears to be a creation of the Press. All we can say now is that though the set of people (suspects) is different, they and Dhekiyal Phukan have a common background.? The CBI source disclosed that ?at least half-a-dozen people? would be chargesheeted in the case, two of them ?posthumously?. He admitted that the chargesheets were ?long overdue?, but said this was due to reasons beyond the CBI?s control. ?This case is being handled by the special crime cell of the CBI, which does not have adequate manpower considering the number of important and complex cases it is dealing with,? he said, adding, ?No one understands how overburdened we are in the special crime cell. Therefore, we are the favourite whipping boys whenever there is a delay.? The CBI had planned to finalise the report on Das? killing by April, but this were delayed because the team probing the incident was given the additional responsibility of investigating the Anjana Mishra rape and the killing of Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two sons in Orissa. ?There was tremendous political pressure to conduct investigations into the two cases in Orissa on a war footing,? the CBI source said. The CBI special crime cell was also asked to assist the two commissions constituted to probe the two incidents. The delay in finalising the report on Das? killing has drawn criticism from various quarters here. The general perception is that the delay is deliberate and ?politically motivated?.