The family of former Union Minister Lalit Narayan Mishra has submitted a representation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a fresh probe into his assassination on January 3, 1975, in Bihar’s Samastipur.
His grandson Vaibhav Mishra has written to the CBI, which pursued the case, citing reports that indicated a larger political conspiracy. Four accused persons were convicted by the trial court in December 2014. “They are currently out on bail and we don't know who all were behind the assassination,” he said.
Mr. Mishra, who was a member of the first, second and the fifth Lok Sabha and a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1964-66 and 1966-71, had held key posts of Railway Minister, Foreign Trade Minister, Minister of State for Defence Production, Deputy Foreign Minister and Deputy Minister for Home Affairs.
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The Union Minister had gone to the Samastipur railway station to inaugurate a broad-gauge line to Muzaffapur when a hand grenade killed him, Surya Narain Jha, who was a Member of Legislative Council in Bihar, and Ram Kishore Prasad Singh, a railway clerk. Several others, including his younger brother, Jagannath Mishra, were injured.
The case was later transferred to the CBI and based on its findings, the trial court convicted Santoshanand, Sudevanand, Ranjan Dwivedi and Gopalji. They were sentenced to life imprisonment. Appeal against their convictions is pending before the Delhi High Court.
Mr. Mishra alleged that the agency did not investigate the matter properly and even the Bihar CID report dated October 24, 1978, was not looked into to determine who the real culprits were.
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Two Commissions headed by Justice V.M. Tarkunde and Justice K.K. Matthew inquired into the matter. “Justice Tarkunde Commission Report suggested a bigger political hand at play in the assassination. Specific names were given,” he said.
He had also filed an application under the Right to Information Act to get certified copies of the two reports from the Union Home Ministry, he said.