LUCKNOW, March 9 -- A second charge sheet filed by police in the murder of journalist Raghvendra Bajpai has revealed the alleged involvement of a local politician from Sitapur in the criminal conspiracy behind the killing, investigators said, adding that efforts are underway to arrest him. The supplementary charge sheet, submitted in court about a month ago after nearly a year-long investigation, names two additional accused in the conspiracy to eliminate Bajpai, who was shot dead in broad daylight on March 8, 2025. Police sources said one of the newly named accused is a politically connected figure in Sitapur with a controversial background and past criminal allegations. According to investigators, the accused politician allegedly played a role in planning the murder and facilitating contacts within the network that ultimately executed the attack. While the court has taken cognisance of the supplementary charge sheet, the accused remains absconding, and police teams are working to trace and arrest him. Bajpai was killed when motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted him on the Neri overbridge along a national highway while he was travelling from Maholi to Sitapur on his motorcycle. The attackers fired four shots at close range, killing him on the spot. The brazen killing had triggered widespread outrage among media organisations and civil society groups across the state. During the initial phase of the investigation, police arrested three alleged conspirators - Shiv Anand alias Vikas Rathore, Nirmal Singh and Mohammad Aslam Ghazi - who were later sent to jail. Two suspected shooters, Raj Tiwari alias Rizwan and Sanjay Tiwari alias Shibbu alias Aqeel Khan, were gunned down in a police encounter nearly five months after the incident on August 7, 2025. Investigators said evidence recovered during searches of the shooters and analysis of their communications helped expand the probe, eventually leading to the identification of additional suspects. Police sources said the supplementary charge sheet names two new accused as conspirators. One of them, Sunil Kashyap, is already lodged in Bareilly jail as a convict in another murder case and has been summoned by the court in connection with the Bajpai killing. The second accused, described by investigators as a politically influential figure in Sitapur, has been shown as wanted. Police have kept the investigation against him open and are continuing to gather further evidence regarding his role in the conspiracy. Officials said a special investigation team examined multiple leads and recorded statements of around 62 witnesses during the probe, including police personnel, local residents and others linked to the events surrounding the murder. Police sources said the role of the newly named accused and the suspected political link form a crucial part of the prosecution's case. Investigators believe the conspiracy may have been driven by local rivalries and other underlying disputes, though details are still being examined. Senior officers said further action, including possible arrests and additional legal proceedings, will depend on the evidence gathered during the ongoing investigation and directions from the court. htc...