Union minister and Congress leader Mahavir Prasad has been charged with murder and attempting to destroy evidence.
The case was lodged on the directions of the Allahabad High Court under section 120B IPC (conspiracy) against 69-year-old Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises at Gagha police station in Gorakhpur.
A woman named Subhawati filed the case on Tuesday, alleging that Mahavir and two of his associates — Rajesh Singh and Gauri Prasad — had conspired to murder her husband Ramprakat, who was run over by a jeep near Gagha on January 28 last year. The jeep is registered in Mahavir’s name.
“The jeep, which allegedly crushed Ramprakat is registered in the name of the minister and was attached with a school,” said Additional DGP (Law and Order) Brij Lal.
Rajesh Singh is the gram pradhan of Ujjarpur village, to which the victim also belongs, and had a long-standing land dispute with him. Gauri Prasad is a relative of the minister.
After Ramprakat’s death, his son Ghanshyam had lodged a complaint, following which the driver of the jeep, Rambadan, was traced and arrested, Lal said. But Subhawati was not satisfied.
In her complaint, she alleged that Mahavir and his associates were behind the killing. Instead of approaching
{{/usCountry}}In her complaint, she alleged that Mahavir and his associates were behind the killing. Instead of approaching
{{/usCountry}}the police, Subhawati directly petitioned the district court, which turned her away. She then moved the high court, which admitted her writ, directing the district police to investigate the matter.
“The case is politically motivated. It has absolutely no basis,” said Mahavir.