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Rediff.com  » News » Pappu Yadav's kin to challenge verdict in SC

Pappu Yadav's kin to challenge verdict in SC

By Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna
February 14, 2008 22:07 IST
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After a Patna court awarded life imprisonment to Rashtriya Janata Dal Member of Parliament Pappu Yadav on Thursday, his upset MP wife Ranjita Ranjan said she would challenge the lower court verdict in the apex court.

"I will challenge the court verdict in the Patna high court and the Supreme Court if required," Ranjan, a Lok Janshakti Party MP told rediff.com over telephone in her reaction to the verdict against her husband in the murder of Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Ajit Sarkar.

Ranjan said it was a big conspiracy to frame Pappu Yadav in the murder case of Ajit Sarkar.

"Pappu Yadav was not at all involved in the case, but become a victim of the conspiracy. We will fight in the apex court for justice," Ranjan said.

Pappu Yadav's father Chandradeo Prasad Yadav, who did not hide his unhappiness also made it clear that he will appeal against the lower court verdict in the Patna high court for justice.

Chandradeo Prasad Yadav said his son Pappu Yadav is innocent and not involved in the murder of Ajit Sarkar.

"Pappu Yadav has nothing to do with the Ajit Sarkar murder; it was a conspiracy to name him accused," he said.

Soon after court verdict Pappu Yadav himself claimed that he is innocent, but would honour the court verdict.

"I am innocent," is what Pappu Yadav told reporters from inside the police van on his way to jail.

His lawyer Rajesh Ranjan confirmed that he will challenge the court verdict in the high court on behalf of Pappu Yadav soon.

A Patna court on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to Pappu Yadav, former Member of Legislative Assembly Rajan Tiwari and Anil Yadav for the murder of Ajit Sarkar

Special Central Bureau of Investigation Judge B M Srivastava sentenced Pappu Yadav, Rajan Tiwari and another accused Anil Yadav to life imprisonment after finding them guilty under Sections 302, 120B and others of the Indian Penal Code.

Apart from awarding life-terms to them, the judge also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 against them.

Earlier this month, the court had completed the final hearing in the Ajit Sarkar murder case and fixed February 14 as the date for the pronouncement of its verdict.

Pappu Yadav, currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, was brought to Patna for the pronouncement of the judgment.

Pappu Yadav had urged the trial court to pronounce the judgment via video conferencing, but the court ordered him to be present on February 14.

"The trial should be conducted through video conferencing. My presence in the court may create law and order problems and I will be again held responsible," Pappu Yadav had written in his letter sent to the trial court.

During the trial, the CBI produced 61 witnesses in support of its case, while 27 witnesses were produced by the accused in their defence.

Ajit Sarkar, a legislator from Purnea, was shot dead by men allegedly acting on Pappu Yadav's orders on June 14, 1998.

Pappu Yadav was shifted to the high-security Tihar jail in 2005 from Patna after allegedly violating prison regulations during his stay in Beur Jail. Rajan Tiwari, a former legislator from Govindganj, is currently lodged in Beur Jail. 

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Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna