Delhi-based politicians involved in Shehla Masood murder?

Names of some influential political personalities have surfaced during the Central Bureau of Investigation probe in the murder of RTI activist Shehla Masood in Bhopal, prompting the agency to hand over investigations to its Special Crime Unit in Delhi.

The agency, which was making little headway in the killing of Masood in August in the absence of any eye-witness coming forward even though the incident took place in broad daylight in a busy and posh locality of Bhopal, has got some leads, CBI sources said.

The leads indicate involvement of some political personalities based in the national capital, the sources said without taking any names.

The case, which has been probed by the Lucknow unit of the agency, will now be handled by its Delhi-based unit as "it has better resources, better manpower and better facilities", they said.

The agency has announced award of Rs five lakh in September for anyone providing credible information about the murder.

The murder weapon used in the case is yet to be traced. On September 3, the agency registered a case in the murder of Masood after the case was referred to it by the Madhya Pradesh government.

Shehla was shot dead when she was going towards her car outside her residence in Koh-e-Fiza locality in Bhopal on August 16.