Patna(IANS) : Hundreds of angry lawyers and locals held a daylong protest in Bihar’s Begusarai town Friday over the killing of a senior advocate allegedly by Lok Janshakti Party MP P. Surajbhan Singh, a known muscleman in the state.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against Singh and two others in connection with the murder Thursday evening of Additional Public Prosecutor Ramnaresh Sharma, 55.
Sharma, a noted human rights activist known for his vocal stand against criminals, was shot dead by two unidentified criminals at his residence in Begusarai.
“Singh was made the main accused in the murder of Sharma in the police complaint,” a police official said.
However, the MP has denied his involvement and demanded a high-level probe into the murder. “I have nothing to do with Sharma’s murder. It is a conspiracy against me,” Singh said.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) gave a strike call Friday against the killing. It was later supported by other political parties.
According to Sharma’s family, he was handling a number of cases against Singh and also spearheading the trial against him in the murder of Rami Singh, a resident of a village in Begusarai. Singh is prime accused in the murder of Rami Singh.
“The hearing in the case was in its final stages and a verdict was expected against the MP,” a relative of Sharma said.
Singh faces several criminal charges, including of murder, extortion, kidnapping and looting. He represents Balia constituency in parliament. He is considered close to union Minister of Steel and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan.
Early this year, Samastipur Superintendent of Police S. Akhtar, in his supervision report, had mentioned the MP’s involvement in a double murder case in April 13, 2006.
The MP was named in the report as a conspirator on whose instigation the Chunnu Singh gang allegedly shot dead Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders Akhilesh Rai and Ram Udesh Rai.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a high-level probe into the killing of Sharma and announced Rs.1 million ex-gratia payment to his family.
A two-member team of senior police officials, including Additional Director General of Police Abhayanand and Criminal Investigation Department IG Rajesh Ranjan, visited Begusarai Friday to investigate the case.
Ruling Janata Dal-United state unit president Lallan Singh and party national spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari condemned the incident, calling it a “well-conceived” conspiracy by certain politicians to intimidate other lawyers and witnesses in the case.