On Monday, former Uttar Pradesh minister Ram Karan Arya was given a life sentence by a local court in connection with a 23-year-old murder case.
District Judge Anil Kumar Pundeer also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000.
The sentence pertained to the murder of Shambhupal – the nephew of BJP MP from Domariyaganj Jagdambika Pal – in broad daylight in November 1994. An FIR was registered against 10 persons, including Arya.
At that time, Arya was a legislator and and was accused of conspiring in the murder as he and the victim had had a tiff in the past.
Out of the 10 accused, one died during the trial, while eight others were set free by District and Sessions Judge Anil Kumar Pundeer, giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Arya was twice a minister in the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the state and a four-time legislator. He had unsuccessfully contested the recent Assembly elections, from reserved seat Mahadewa in Basti on a Samajwadi Party ticket.
With inputs from PTI and Hindustan Times
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