Surajbhan sentenced to life for murder

Patna, June 25 : A Bihar court Wednesday sentenced Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP Surajbhan Singh to life imprisonment in a sixteen-year-old murder case.

Amid tight security, the Begusarai fast track court judge Ravi Prakash Dhar Dubey awarded life imprisonment to three people, including LJP MP Surajbhan Singh, a day after they were convicted by the court for farmer Rami Singh's murder in 1992, official sources in the court said.

The court also pronounced a fine of Rs.25,000 on each of them.

Surajbhan Singh was found guilty under sections 302, 149 of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act for the murder of Rami Singh, a farmer, Jan 16, 1992.

His lawyer said that Surajbhan Singh will appeal against it.

Surajbhan Singh represents Bihar's Ballia constituency in parliament and is considered close to Union Minister of Steel and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan.

Hundreds of people, mostly supporters of Surajbhan Singh, gathered outside the court since early afternoon to hear the court's verdict.

Rami Singh, a resident of Mathurapur village in Begusarai district, about 126 km from here, was shot Jan 16, 1992 allegedly by Surajbhan Singh and his henchmen, according to the police complaint in the case.

Soon after the court found him guilty in the murder case, the police took him into custody. He will be lodged in the Begusarai jail.

Surajbhan Singh faces 30 criminal charges, including those of murder, extortion, kidnapping and looting.

Last year, he was named accused in the murder of additional public prosecutor Ramnaresh Sharma, 55.

Sharma, a human rights activist, was shot by two unidentified people at his residence in Begusarai.

The judgment rendered by fast track court judge Ravi Prakash Dhar Dubey is a landmark judgment and second consecutive since Shri Nitish Kumar resumed office as Chief Minister of Bihar State. On the criminalization of politics, I recall Nitish Babu had said, "the law will take its own course" no further comments he added. Now the result is before all of us. It may be needed to mention the first conviction was Shri Anand Mohan Singh and her wife Shmt. Lovely Anand (now on bail). Recently, it came to my knowledge that a prominent and high-profile super-cop of Bihar Police is behind implementation of Nitish Babu's desire to set-up fast track court and appointment of Special Auxiliary Police (SAP), first of its kind in India was no other than Shri Abhay Anand (ADG-Bihar Police). I salute Abhay Anand Sir for his examplary work. Even Mrs. Kiran Bedi, India's first IPS officer, who was recently in Patna appreciated and acknowledged that crime-control measure taken by present government is now visible, as the nexus between politician and criminals are being busted. Marvellous job done by all concerned.