Colleagues of murdered NDMC officer M.M. Khan were questioned by a police team that visited the NDMC office on Parliament Street on Friday.
The deceased was shot dead in Jamia Nagar on Monday for allegedly refusing a bribe of Rs. 4 crore, and for not going soft against a hotel that faces eviction.
Incidentally, the police team had gone to the NDMC office to collect files related to The Connaught Hotel, which faces eviction for flouting rules and not paying a fine of Rs. 130 crore.
“Since many of Mr. Khan’s colleagues were present there, we decided to question them. We will return for a more formal questioning early next week based on the information we extract from the arrested suspects,” the officer added.
The NDMC law director was among those who were asked if they had received threats from the owner of The Connaught Hotel, who is in jail for plotting the murder.
“The victim’s colleagues were asked if Mr. Khan had spoken to them about the threats and bribe offers he was receiving. We also tried to identify if they suspected anyone among themselves of acting as an informer,” said a senior police officer.
Political turn
According to sources, interrogation so far has thrown up the names of at least four prominent politicians.
“We are still investigating the extent to which these politicians were aware of the murder plot. The hotel owner had visited prominent politicians in the hope of getting the recovery issue settled. It remains to be seen if they pressurised the victim,” said an investigator.
NDMC vice-chairman Karan Singh Tanwar may also be questioned next week in connection with the threats and pressure Mr. Khan received, said sources.
Mr. Tanwar has been in the spotlight ever since a letter he had written to the Lieutenant-Governor, accusing Mr. Khan of bias against the hotel, surfaced. The NDMC vice-chairman, meanwhile, has claimed innocence saying the letter was purely professional and was written after considering the complaints he received against Mr. Khan.
Offering support
Four days after the NDMC officer was gunned down by hired killers, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited his family in Jamia Nagar on Friday.
Calling Mr. Khan an “honest officer” who was murdered because he refused to “budge to illicit demands”, Mr. Kejriwal announced Rs. 1 crore for his family.
The Chief Minister called the NDMC officer a martyr and compared him to policemen who are killed on duty.
Ordering for a residence to be allotted to the family of the deceased, Mr. Kejriwal also said that the Delhi government would offer a job to his wife, Nishad.
The Central government too extended similar offers to the family.
Announcing an ex-gratia of Rs. 25 lakh for the family, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked the New Delhi Municipal Council to appoint a kin of the victim on compassionate grounds.
