By IANS
Patna : Sunil Pandey, a controversial legislator of Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) who has been lodged in Sasaram Jail, was Sunday slapped with the charge of attacking Maoist inmates.
Pandey, who is facing dozens of criminal charges including for murder, kidnapping, extortion and looting, allegedly led a group of inmates in attacking Maoists prisoners, injuring some of them, Sunday morning, officials said.
“After the incident, a case was lodged against Sunil Pandey,” a jail official said.
Pandey was said to be trying to gain dominance in the jail but Maoist inmates challenged him.
Over two dozen inmates and jail warden Ravindranath Singh were injured Saturday in a clash between a group led by Pandey and Maoists. Later, four seriously injured inmates and a warden were admitted in the hospital for treatment.
Leftwing radicals lodged in the jail have accused jail authorities of applying double standards and ill-treating the Maoists. Powerful politicians like Pandey and his supporters enjoyed luxurious life even in the jail, they said.
Pandey last year abused and threatened to kill Sasaram Jail superintendent Sanjay Chaudhary and refused to follow the jail rules.
He is in the jail for the past one year for allegedly demanding extortion money from a senior official of the Hyderabad-based Vijay Electricals, engaged in rural electrification work in Aurangabad district.
Pandey, who represents the Piro constituency in Bhojpur district, is alleged to have links with the Ranvir Sena, a banned private militia of Bhumihars, a landed upper caste.
His party suspended him in August 2006 for mocking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s claim of having provided good governance in Bihar.