HC rejects bail petition of Pappu Yadav

Patna, Apr 27 : The Patna High Court today rejected the regular bail petition of 'incarcerated' RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav in connection with the CPI(M) MLA Ajit Sarkar murder case.

After hearing arguments of both sides, a single bench of Justice Sheokirti Singh rejected the bail petition.

Mr Yadav is presently lodged in New Delhis Tihar Jail.

The bench directed the CBI, investigating the murder case, to produce all its witnesses before the court within three months for completion of the hearing of the case at the earliest.

Mr Sarkar was gunned down at Purnea in 1998.

Pappu Yadav's counsel pleaded before the court that his client was ''falsely implicated'' in the murder case under a ''well hatched conspiracy'' of the police as Mr Yadav was not initially named in the FIR.

He said his client was under custody for the last five years and seven months and hence should be granted bail.

UNI