The 50-year-old resident of Bhatua village of Bokaro had died on February 19 after being thrashed by his contractor Bhagirath Rajwar and his family when he went to ask for his wages for digging a well at his village under the MGNREGA.
The Union rural development ministry on Sunday had recommended a CBI probe into the alleged murder, sensing wrongdoing in the case. The ministry has also recommended the CBI probe into the Niyamat Ansari killing in Latehar.
On March 13, the Union rural development secretary B K Sinha had inquired into both the cases, while visiting Bokaro and Latehar and meeting the workers’ family members. Sinha had said he was highly "dissatisfied" with irregularities in implementation of the MGNREGA.
Recently, the ministry’s two-member committee, comprising Sinha and deputy secretary Rohit Kumar, recommended the CBI investigation. The agency should also probe into the attempt to suppress the case, misrepresentation of records and injury and postmortem reports, the ministry said. Mahto’s wife said although police had arrested Rajwar and two of his relatives, the action was not enough.