SC allows Bihar ex-MP Prabhunath Singh to appear virtually on September 1
Aug 28, 2023
New Delhi [India], August 28 : The Supreme Court has given permission to Bihar politician Prabhunath Singh to appear virtually on September 1 for hearing on quantum of sentence in a matter pertaining to a 1995 double murder case.
"The applicant/respondent No. 2 is permitted to appear virtually through video conferencing on 01.09.2023 for hearing on the question of sentence, instead of the physical appearance, as directed vide judgment dated 18.08.2023," the top court said in its Friday order.
On August 18, the apex court held Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Prabhunath Singh guilty in a 1995 double murder case and overturned Patna High Court's order acquitting him. On August 18, the court fixed September 1 as the next date of hearing and said that the accused Prabhunath Singh be produced before this Court in custody.
The court also pulled up the prosecuting agency and said that the tainted investigation shows the high-handedness of the accused-Respondent Singh, who was a powerful person, being a sitting M.P. of the ruling party.
The top court had said that Prabhunath Singh is liable to be convicted under Sections 302 and 307 IPC for committing culpable homicide amounting to murder and attempt to murder.
A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, AS Oka, and Vikram Nath convicted Prabhunath Singh in the double murder case. The court noted that there was sufficient evidence to show his involvement in the case.
"Accused-respondent no.2 (Prabhunath Singh) is thus convicted under Sections 302 and 307 IPC for the murders of Daroga Rai and Rajendra Rai and also for the attempt to murder injured Smt. Devi," the top court said and directed the Secretary, Department of Home, State of Bihar and the Director General of Police, Bihar to ensure that Prabhunath Singh (Respondent No. 2) is taken into custody forthwith and produced before this Court to be heard on the question of sentence.
The court fixed September 1 as the next date of hearing and said that the accused Prabhunath Singh be produced before this Court in custody.
The court was hearing an appeal against the Patna High Court order dated December 2021 confirming the judgment of the Additional Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court in Patna dated October 24 2008 acquitting Singh and others of all the charges.
Two men were killed near a polling booth in Chhapra in March 1995. According to the prosecuting agency, the men were allegedly shot dead for not voting as per Singh’s instructions.
FIR was registered on March 25 1995 at the Police Station Masrakh (Panapur) District Saran at Chapra in Bihar under Sections 147, 148, 149/307 of Indian Penal Code, 18601 and Section 27 of the Arms Act.
Later on, Section 302 IPC was added as two out of three injured died during treatment. The said FIR was registered based on the statement of one of the injured Rajendra Rai, who subsequently succumbed to injuries.
