Life term to Bihar ex-MP for murder

Ranchi, May 23 

Former RJD parliamentarian and Bihar strongman Prabhunath Singh was today sentenced to life imprisonment in a 22-year-old murder case of a legislator.

Hazaribagh Additional District Judge Surendra Sharma pronounced the quantum of sentence. Prabhunath, his brother Dinanath Singh and another accused Ritesh Singh were produced through video-conferencing from jail. The court also sentenced the trio to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for possessing and using explosives. The court also slapped Rs 40,000 fine.

The court had on May 18 convicted the trio in the murder of then legislator from Masarakh Ashok Singh, who had defeated Prabhunath in the 1995 Assembly poll.

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Prabhunath had allegedly said Ashok would be eliminated within 90 days of the election. The victim was killed by a bomb when he was sitting in his official residence in Patna in 1995. 

Ashok’s wife Chandni Devi, who had lodged the case in Patna, said, “Facing financial crisis after the murder of my husband, it was a challenge to fight against strongman like Prabhunath and get justice. Justice was delayed, but it was eventually delivered.” 

Following directions from the Supreme Court, the case was transferred to Hazaribagh from Patna in 1997. The charges were framed in 2008. 

The family members of those sentenced said they would move the High Court against the judgment.

Prabhunath was in Janata Dal in 1995 and later joined JD-U. At present, he is with RJD. He is a strongman from Maharajganj constituency in Bihar. — TNS & Agencies