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Probe on right track: Nitish Govt.

Murder of Patna University teacher Papiya Ghosh and her maid

PATNA: Amidst a walk out by the Opposition, the Bihar Government on Tuesday told the Assembly that the probe into the murder of Patna University teacher Papiya Ghosh and her maid was proceeding in the right direction and the police have been given a free hand to deal with the matter.

Making a suo moto statement in the opposition's absence, Energy Minister Brijendra Prasad Yadav said a special investigation team constituted to investigate the case from all angles had interrogated a number of persons.

The government has given a free hand to police to solve the case and announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for persons providing information about the murders, Yadav said. A few people taken into custody will be sent to New Delhi or Ahmedabad for a polygraph or lie detector test today or tomorrow, he said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar later told reporters his government was not averse to handing over the probe to the CBI as the ``the ball would then be in the Centre's court''.

Expressing full faith in the city police's capability to solve the case, Kumar said, ``We have put very intelligent officers on the job and I am personally monitoring the investigation. The home secretary and DGP are keeping me posted with every development.''

Papiya Ghosh and her 70-year-old maid Malti Devi were stabbed to death by unidentified criminals in her home on the night of December 3 in the posh Patliputra Colony.

Opposition parties, scholars and college and school students have taken to the streets, organising candle-light processions and staging dharnas, to demand the immediate arrest of the killers and a CBI probe into the murders.

Shatrughan's suggestion

BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha on Tuesday suggested that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hand over the murder case of Patna University professor Papiya Ghosh to CBI for the sake of transparency since some NDA men are being talked about in connection with the incident.

``Even after a week, the Bihar police has not made any significant breakthrough in the murder case of the professor. I humbly suggest to the Chief Minister to recommend a CBI probe into the incident to stop rumour mongering that is adversely affecting the government's image,'' Sinha, a Rajya Sabha BJP MP said.

He said the CBI should be entrusted with the investigation for the sake of transparency since ``some of our own NDA men are being talked about in connection with the incident.''

``Killing of a professor, who is also a prominent citizen, in the heart of the town has definitely shaken the confidence of the people. The hope of people from the NDA government, which was sky high, should not be allowed to dip,'' Sinha said. - PTI

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Probe on right track: Nitish Govt.

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