Guwahati, Aug. 8: The family of journalist Kamala Saikia, who was killed by Ulfa militants on August 9, 1991, has moved Gauhati High Court, asking it to hand over the murder investigation to the CBI.

Saikia's son, Dhananjay, has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a CBI inquiry.

Dhananjay today said he has filed the petition, number WP(C) 4703/2017, seeking a direction from the high court to hand over the investigation to the CBI, citing that the state police had made no progress in the investigation into the murder even 25 years after the incident.

During the first hearing of the petition yesterday, Justice Suman Shyam asked the state government to file its reply on the petition, along with the current status of the investigation within four weeks.

Dhananjay also appealed to the state government to facilitate a CBI inquiry following the failure of the state police to bring the investigation to its logical conclusion.

Saikia, who was a teacher and freedom fighter, was abducted by Ulfa militants from his residence at Melachaka in Sivasagar and subsequently killed.

Assam police had registered a case at Sivasagar police station but closed the case on September 5, 1998, for want of evidence and witnesses.

The state government handed over the probe to the CID of the state police, which failed to file a chargesheet against the culprits.

The CID submitted the final report in 2008, saying it could not find conclusive evidence.

After hearing a petition filed by Dhananjay in June 2008, Gauhati High Court ordered a re-investigation into the case.

Assam police reopened the case but are yet to prosecute those involved in the murder.

Dhananjay today alleged that surrendered Ulfa militant and BJP MLA from Thowra constituency Kushal Dowari alias Jayanta Hazarika, along with some other members of the outfit, were involved in his father's killing.

The police had questioned Dowari in connection with the murder but could not find any evidence against him.

"Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia on July 28, 2016, said at a press conference that Saikia was killed by the members of the outfit's Sivasagar district committee without the consent/authorisation of the Ulfa's central committee. But even 25 years after the incident, Assam police had not been able to file a chargesheet against the accused," Dhananjay said in his letter to the Prime Minister.