Bihar ex-min convicted in murder case

Patna, Feb 15 (IANS) A local court of Bihar's Saran has convicted a former chief minister in the Rabri Devi government in a murder case, an official said here on Wednesday.

The quantum of punishment will be announced on February 21.

Former Rural Development Minister Ravindra Nath Mishra and his younger brother were booked in a murder case that took place at a polling booth during the Assembly election on February 27 in 1990.

He and his supporters were tried in polling booth loot (Booth number 175 and 176) in Manjhi block in Saran district.

During the booth loot, Mishra and his supporters fired several rounds which led to chaos at the place. One voter, Uma Been, came into the firing range and died on the spot.

Following that incident, the polling officer Pranay Malik and polling agent Mahesh Yadav lodged a FIR in Manjhi police station. However, Malik turned hostile in the court as the pressure was applied by Mishra but Yadav stood firm on his stand.

Based on the FIR of Mahesh Yadav, Additional public prosecutor Dhrupdev Singh put the perspective of the government. He managed to record the statements of seven witnesses in the court.

Ravindra Mishra was elected as an independent candidate from Manjhi Assembly constituency in 2000 and became rural development minister in the Rabri Devi government.