Life Imprisonment for Trio Convicted in Journalist Rajdeo Ranjan's Murder

Three individuals were sentenced to life imprisonment by a CBI court for the 2016 murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in Bihar. The case, initially investigated by state police, was handed over to the CBI. While some charges were abated due to lack of evidence, others faced severe penalties.

In a landmark judgment, a CBI court on Wednesday sentenced three men to life imprisonment for the 2016 murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in Siwan, Bihar. The convicted individuals, Rohit Kumar Soni, Vijay Kumar Gupta, and Sonu Kumar Gupta, were also fined Rs 1.5 lakh in total.

Rajdeo Ranjan, then a reporter for Hindi daily Hindustan, was gunned down in Siwan's fruit market on May 13, 2016. His assassination prompted allegations against RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin, prompting the Bihar government to transfer the case to the CBI.

Despite Shahabuddin's subsequent death in 2021, the CBI pursued a comprehensive investigation, resulting in a second supplementary charge sheet. The court directed victim compensation through the District Legal Service Authority.

(With inputs from agencies.)