Cops dig into Majhis past

NABARNAGPUR: The murder of Umerkote MLA Jagabandhu Majhi continues to be a whodunnit even as the Crime Branch team along with local police have started their investigation. The Crime Branch interrogated the revenue officials and the beneficiaries who were present at the meeting at Gona village in Raighar block on Saturday. They have also questioned his family and close associates. The involvement of Maoists too has not been ruled out though the investigating team remains clueless. All aspects are being investigated for a possible breakthrough in the case.Sources said, the police are scanning through his decade-long controversial political career. His crusade against Bengali settlers in 2001 had allegedly ignited communal tension in the area which claimed 10 lives in police firing. What followed was an attack on Majhi’s life in 2004. Some unidentified miscreants had fired at Majhi at Raighar while he was attending a wedding. The aggrieved Bengali community was suspected to be behind the incident but the police failed to crack the case.On the other hand, the Gond community has been opposing the agitation of Dalit Samaj spearheaded by Majhi for its alleged involvement in anti-social and criminal activities. There have been allegations of encroachments on tribal land against Majhi. His name also figured in the murder of Laxman Nagesh of Naktisemla village in 2009 and Ghansyam Gond, a government teacher, in 2010. It may be recalled that 11 criminal cases, including rioting, criminal intimidation, promoting enmity, dacoity and criminal trespass were pending against Majhi. The Crime Branch has reportedly enlisted  these events in their investigation along with monetary dealings.In the last Assembly elections, Majhi was worth ` 1.2 lakh in cash with a bank balance of ` 18,547, gold worth ` 41,000, a Scorpio and two tractors bought with loans. Till the filing the affidavit, Majhi had an outstanding loan of ` 12.5 lakh. However, police said the wheel-chair itself was around ` 3 lakh. He was said to have made good money during his brief stint.  Majhi reportedly had good rapport with one of the two Maoist groups operating in the block. The other group was baying for his blood, accusing him of exploiting the people.The Crime Branch is now opening the closed files for a possible lead into his murder case.