Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentences In Murder Case Of Former Bihar Minister

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the life imprisonment sentences for Munna Shukla and Mantu Tiwari in the high-profile murder case of former Bihar Science and Technology Minister Brij Bihari Prasad. The court has ordered both men to surrender within 15 days.

The verdict deliver by a bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna, Sanjay Kumar, and R Madhavan, following a comprehensive review of arguments presented by all parties involved, including an appeal from Prasad’s wife, Rama Devi, a former BJP MP, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

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Previously, the Patna High Court had acquitted eight individuals, including former MP Suraj Bhan Singh and Vijay Kumar Shukla, due to insufficient evidence. Rama Devi’s legal team, led by senior advocate Siddharth Agarwal, argued that the Patna High Court erred in its decision to acquit the accused. Meanwhile, the CBI, represented by senior advocate Sonia Mathur, contended that key evidence, including telephone conversations among the accused, highlighted a conspiracy linked to the murder.

In 1998, assailants fatally shot Brij Bihari Prasad while he received treatment at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) during an ongoing corruption investigation. The attackers opened fire with an AK-47 as security personnel escorted him.

Prasad launched his political career in the 1990s, focusing on Dalit and backward class politics. His efforts attracted both supporters and enemies, including Chotan Shukla, who was murdered in 1994. Just before his death, authorities arrested the former minister for a separate admission scam, embroiling him in further controversy.

This ruling marks a pivotal moment in the long-running legal saga surrounding Prasad’s murder, underlining the complexities of political rivalries and judicial proceedings in Bihar.