The CBI on Thursday conducted searches at the residence of interior designer Zahida Parvez in Bhopal in connection with the murder of RTI activist Shehla Masood. The agency on Tuesday arrested Zahida and an alleged contract killer, Saqib Ali ‘Danger’,' alias Shyam, in connection with the case. Sources said CBI officials conducted searches at Parvez's residence in Maharana Pratap Nagar area in Bhopal and recovered certain documents which are being further scrutinised. The agency sleuths also recovered some files related to the construction of a hotel in Bhopal from the residence of Zahida.
Sources said, "The agency on Wednesday recovered mobile phones of Zahida and Saqib, a history sheeter. Probe has revealed that Zahida was allegedly in constant touch with Saqib since March 2010. Saqib told his interrogators that he was very close to Zahida and both used to talk for hours on phone". Because of his alleged intimacy to Zahida, Saqib decided to eliminate Shehla, sources added.
Probe has further revealed that Masood's killers, including Saqib, allegedly used mobile phone of a school bus driver of Bhopal on August 16, 2011, the day the RTI activist was murdered, to avoid detection by the investigating agency. Saqib has also confessed that he took the driver's phone for use by his three gang members, involved in the killing of Masood. Masood was shot in the head in her car in front of her residence in the posh Koh-e-Fiza locality in Bhopal about 11 am on August 16, 2011 when she was about to go to a rally that was part of Anna Hazare campaign against corruption.
The agency officials on Thursday also recorded the statement of Zahida’s husband Asad Parvez. Zahida's husband was questioned by the agency officials on Wednesday also.
The agency CBI officials have also collected call details of a legislator of Bhopal, which are being further scrutinised. Probe has revealed that the legislator allegedly spoke to Zahida and a contract killer, who reportedly killed Masood.