Just who asked the police to divert Munna Bajrangi’s van to Baghpat?

The details of the killing of mafia don of Poorvanchal, Munna Bajrangi, are now surfacing, strongly hinting that his murder could well have been a well-thought out political and criminal conspiracy, involving politicians and officials from administration, police and politics.

Munna Bajrangi, one of the first gangsters to publicly wield rifles such as AK-47 and AK-56, was notorious for blindly showering bullets on his targets. He and his accomplices had fired off at least 400 rounds when they had taken out BJP MLA Krishnand Rai. He met his end too in the same way, with another mafia don Sunil Rathi pumping 10 bullets into his head.

How was Munna Bajrangi, dreaded by criminals and the police alike, killed so easily, that too within the four walls of a prison?

In fact, when the application for taking him on transit remand and producing him in the court in an extortion case was filed in the Jhansi jail, Munna had sensed that there was some conspiracy being hatched in the Baghpat jail and anything could happen if he was moved to that prison. His lawyers and family tried hard to annul his transit to Baghpat jail.

When his family members realised that they were not being heard by authorities, they moved the court. Munna Bajrangi’s lawyer Ram Kumar Rathi filed an application in Baghpat court requesting that the hearing be postponed due to Munna’s deteriorating health. Besides it was mentioned in the application that Munna’s name was not even mentioned in the chargesheet in the extortion case for which Munna had been asked to appear in the court.

This argument was also not right that the investigating team did not have his voice sample because the police already had that sample. The court had accepted these arguments and had even ordered that Munna not be called for the hearing. Lawyer Ram Kumar claims that a copy of the order was handed over to the Jhansi jail administration on July 7.

Despite the court order, the Jhansi jail administration sent Munna Bajrangi to Baghpat

Sources say that Munna had refused to go to Baghpat for court hearings. After this, the DIG of Jhansi Jail went to meet Munna and explained it to him that it was necessary to go.

He had assured Munna of providing security, as per sources. Even then, Munna was not ready to go citing health reasons. After this, a team of doctors and an ambulance were arranged for Munna, because there was someone who wanted Munna Bajrangi to be in Baghpat jail at any cost.

Munna's lawyer Vikas Rathi told local media that when Munna was moved from Jhansi jail, it was said that he would be admitted to any police station, or police line, in a district hospital. Vikas claimed that no one had any idea as to where Munna Bajrangi was being taken till he reached Khekda, located 15 kilometres before Baghpat. Vikas said that the vehicle carrying Munna was stopped after reaching Khekda. Meanwhile, a call came to the jail officer, after which the convoy of Munna was diverted to Subhanpur jail, in Baghpat. Munna Bajrangi was brought into the jail around 9 pm on Sunday night.

Sources say that Munna Bajrangi was kept under solitary confinement. A few hours later, around 6 am on Monday morning, Munna was shot in the head by Sunil Rathi ‘Don’ in the area opposite to Munna’s barrack. Sunil is said to have emptied the entire magazine in Munna Bajrangi’s head.

Insiders say that Sunil Rathi and Munna Bajrangi had no history of any rivalry. In such a case, the killing taking place over a minor dispute points towards a big conspiracy.

The judicial inquiry into this sensational incident is on and several jail officials, including the jailer, have been suspended. But it is yet to be confirmed as to on whose directions did the jail officer, on the vehicle carrying Munna, divert towards Baghpat.

(Translated into English by Pragati Saxena).