Mulayam agrees to CBI probe for Nithari

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday relented and announced that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would investigate the murder of children in Noida's Nithari village.

Mulayam had till Thursday been saying the UP Police have solved the murders, but the severe criticism of the state force’s investigation forced him to summon the CBI.

Opposition parties have lambasted the state government and even Governor T V Rajeshwar advised Mulayam to order a CBI probe.

Mulayam’s brother and state PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav had just yesterday said a CBI probe would delay matters and the Nithari murders were a “small and routine affair”. The CM has now changed his mind.

"All those who are responsible for the Nithari killings will be punished and nobody will be spared. We will ensure that such incidents do not take place in the future," said Mulayam at a press conference in Lucknow.

The Chief Minister said he had never opposed a CBI probe, but defended his officials by saying “the police and the state government have played a vital role in the investigation and there has been no lapse on their part."

The Special Investigation Team has "solved" the case and "whatever doubts remain, will be cleared over the next few days."

Mulayam criticised the Governor for a recommending a CBI probe in a letter to him. "The Governor wrote this letter while I have always said I am not opposed to a CBI probe. We were only waiting for the results of the police investigation," he said.

"The Opposition parties have done politics over the bodies of women and children. I will like to advise them not to play politics over such incidents."

In a bid to please people in Nithiri, Mulayam said the families of the dead children in Nithari will be given plots. The state government has already announced that families will get Rs 5 lakh each as compensation.

The bodies of at least 17 children been found in Nithari and it is suspected they were raped and murdered by two serial killers.

Mulayam also announced that the CBI will probe the murder of Meerut Uninversity lecturer Kavita Rani, who was allegedly blackmailing a state minister.