LJP MP from Balia Surajbhan Singh convicted of murder

BEGUSARAI: Controversial Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP from Balia Suraj Singh alias Surajbhan Singh and two others were on Tuesday held guilty by a fast track court of murdering a farmer over a land dispute 16 years ago. Apart from the MP, fast track court judge R P Dubey convicted Jaijairam Singh and Radhe Singh. The quantum of sentence will be announced on Wednesday. Surajbhan and five others were charged with shooting down Rami Singh at Madhurapur-Purvatola village under Teghra police station of Begusarai district on January 16, 1992 to avenge the killing of an associate Ramadhar Singh in a land dispute. While an accused Pappu Singh had sought separate trial, two others -- Suro Singh and Shanker Singh -- were killed in an encounter. The Patna High Court had recently directed the fast track court judge to complete the trial and pronounce the judgement by June 30. While 13 witnesses deposed before the court for defence, 11 appeared for the prosecution out of which two later turned hostile.