SC orders life imprisonment to RJD ex-MP Prabhunath Singh in 1995 double murder case

New Delhi [India], September 1 : The Supreme Court on Friday orally sentenced Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Member of Parliament (MP) Prabhunath Singh to life imprisonment in a matter pertaining to the 1995 double murder case. The order was pronounced by a bench of justices, including Sanjay Kishan Kaul, AS Oka, and Vikram Nath.
The court directed Singh and the Bihar government to compensate the victims by paying Rs 10 lakh each to the deceased family and Rs 5 lakh to those injured.
While orally pronouncing the order, the court said, "Life sentence, 10 lakhs each for both the deceased and five lakhs for the injured, both by the respondent two (Singh) and by the state separately."
The court also clarified that it has already announced it and the orders the party will get later.
However, the order copy uploaded on the Supreme Court the website late evening on Friday said, "Judgment/Order reserved."
The apex court held Prabhunath Singh guilty in the murder case on August 18 and overturned the Patna High Court's order, which acquitted him earlier. On August 18, the court scheduled September 1 as the next date of hearing.
Outlining the investigation done by the prosecution agency, the court noted that the investigation report shows how Singh used his power to influence the case in his favour, as he was a powerful person and a sitting MP of the ruling party.
The top court had said that Prabhunath Singh is liable to be convicted under Sections 302 and 307 of the IPC for committing culpable homicide amounting to murder and an attempt to murder. The Court further 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 an 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.
The court was hearing an appeal against the Patna HC order dated December 2021 confirming the judgement of the Additional Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court in Patna, dated October 24, 2008, acquitting Singh and others of all the charges.
The case pertains to an incident that happened in March 1995. Two men were killed near a polling booth in Chhapra during the polls. According to the prosecuting agency, the men were allegedly shot dead for not voting as per Singh’s instructions.
An FIR was registered on March 25, 1995, at the Police Station Masrakh (Panapur) District Saran at Chapra in Bihar under Sections 147, 148, and 149/307 of the Indian Penal Code, 18601, and Section 27 of the Arms Act. Later on, Section 302 of the IPC was added, as two out of three injured people died during treatment. The said FIR was registered based on the statement of one of the injured Rajendra Rai, who subsequently succumbed to injuries.