CBI to investigate Anjana murder case:Supreme Court orders investigation; former minister accused of shielding accused

The Supreme Court on Wednesday delivered a strong and significant verdict in the much-discussed Anjana murder case of Barodia Naunagir in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district. Rejecting the investigation theory of the Madhya Pradesh Police, the court ordered that the entire case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation. The order was issued by a bench of Justice M. M. Sundresh and Justice N. K. Singh. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the difficulties of former state Home Minister Bhupendra Singh may increase. The victim’s family has consistently alleged that the accused enjoyed direct political protection from the former minister and influential local figures, which is why the police never carried out an impartial investigation. Shadow of Influential People and Allegations on ‘Former Minister’ The victim’s family has directly accused that the main accused were protected by a former minister. Because of this influence, when Anjana was allegedly molested in 2019, the police did not register strict charges under pressure. Later, witnesses were threatened and a series of killings began. 3 Murders, Police Remained Silent Spectators This was not an ordinary case. When the family refused to withdraw the case, the accused allegedly first beat Anjana’s brother Nitin to death. After that, a key witness, her uncle Rajendra, was also murdered. The police failed to prevent these killings. Anjana’s ‘Suspicious’ Death Was Called an Accident The biggest lapse came when the main witness Anjana died. She died while the body of her uncle Rajendra was being brought in an ambulance. Police described it as an accident, claiming she had fallen from the vehicle, and tried to close the case. However, the post-mortem report revealed 14 serious injuries on her body and a large 9-cm fracture in her skull, clearly indicating that it was not a simple accident. The Case Had Also Echoed in Political Corridors The deaths of three members from a single Dalit family had sparked a major political controversy in Madhya Pradesh. Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh tied a rakhi from the victim’s mother and pledged to ensure justice. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also met the victim’s family and expressed condolences. However, due to alleged political pressure at the local level, the family had lost faith in the police investigation. Investigation of allegations of political protection will be conducted In the Supreme Court, the petitioner—Anjana’s mother, referred to as ‘Badi Bahu’—was represented by advocates Colin Gonsalves, Meenakshi Arora and Minesh Dubey. Following the order for a CBI probe, the agency’s team will now visit Sagar and seize all records related to the police investigation so far. The probe will also examine alleged intimidation of witnesses, the role of influential persons and possible links between politicians and police officials. Senior political figures accused of providing protection to the accused may also be questioned.