RANCHI: Former Minister in Madhu Koda government and the sitting MLA of Kolebira - Anosh Ekka, was convicted by a Simdega Court on Saturday in a case related to the murder of a para-teacher in 2014.
Ekka was arrested immediately after the recovery of the dead body of para teacher Manoj Kumar from the adjoining Kolebira forests in Simdega on November 26, 2014 following which, he has been lodged in Simdega Jail. "The Court has found my client guilty under sections 364, 302 and 201 of Indian Penal Code as well along with 27 Arms Act," said Defense Counsel Shamim Akhtar. Arguments on the point of sentencing will be heard by the Court on July 3, he added.
Kumar was kidnapped from his school in Kolebira for which Ekka along with People's Liberation of Federation of India (PLFI) Barood Gope and others were made named accused in the FIR lodged by the family members of Kumar. Kumar's family had alleged that Ekka's attitude towards Kumar got more hostile after he lodged a complaint against him requesting to take action against him after he left Jharkhand Party, headed by Ekka and joined Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.
According to the statement recorded by the family members, Kumar had also written to the administration as well as the then Chief Minister Hemant Soren to provide police protection apprehending a threat to his life from Ekka after he left the Jharkhand Party.
Ekka, who allegedly enjoys the support of banned ultras outfit PLFI in the area, had also been charged with disrupting the poll campaign conducted by various candidates in Khunti during 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier also, Ekka had also been arrested in a disproportionate of assets case involving several thousand of crores, currently being investigated by Enforcement Directorate which has seized over one crore of property, allegedly owned by him and his wife. Khunti police has also charged him with conniving with the PLFI for disrupting the poll process.