PATNA: Another MLA from Bihar lost membership of the state legislative assembly following his conviction by a court in connection with a 9-year-old murder case on Friday.
A notification with regard to disqualification of Manoj Manzil, MLA of CPI-ML, was issued by the assembly secretariat on Friday.
On Tuesday, an MP/MLA court in Bihar’s Bhojpur district awarded life imprisonment to CPI-ML legislator Manoj Manzil and 22 others in connection with the murder of one J P Singh during 2015 assembly elections in the state.
The court headed by Satyendra Singh, sentenced all 23 accused to life imprisonment, including an MLA from Agiaon assembly constituency in Bhojpur district. The court also imposed a penalty of Rs.10,000 on the lawmaker.
All the accused were taken into custody soon after the pronouncement of the court’s verdict. They were sent to Ara district jail under tight security arrangements as a number of supporters of the legislators had assembled in the court premises.
Mazil, a 40-year-old Dalit leader, was a first time MLA. He was made an accused in the murder of J P Singh, during the 2015 assembly election. Manzil had unsuccessfully contested the 2015 assembly polls from Agiaon assembly constituency.
In 2020 assembly polls, Manzil emerged victorious from the same seat after defeating Janata Dal (United) nominee Prabhunath Prasad.
According to prosecution, J P Singh was killed while returning home from a public meeting at Badgaon village under Azeemabad police station in Bhojpur district on August 20, 2015. The deceased’s decomposed body was found near Setuhari canal on August 27, 2015.
The deceased’s son Chandan Kumar had lodged a case with Azeemabad police station against the MLA and his 22 supporters.
J P Singh was killed in retaliation of the murder of a CPI-ML worker Satish Yadav. The MLA along with his supporters had received the news about Yadav’s murder at a public meeting held at Badgaon village in Bhojpur district on August 20, 2015.
Manzil’s advocate said that he would move to Patna high court against the order of the MP/MLA court. As per the Supreme Court’s directive, MPs and MLAs are disqualified immediately after being awarded punishment by the court of law.
Earlier, an RJD MLA from Mokama Anant Singh was disqualified from the assembly after he was convicted in an Arms Act case followed by disqualification of another lawmaker of the party, Anil Kumar Sahni, in a corruption case.