Accused says witness is a convict

Patna, May 3 (UNI) An accused in the murder case of former minister Brij Bihari Prasad today claimed that one of the witnesses produced by the CBI in the case, had been convicted for muder and the verdict was confirmed by the Patna high court.

Accused Mantu Tiwari filed an affidavit to this-effect before the additional district and sessions judge of Patna Ramniwas Prasad. As per the petition, witness Mahant Ashwini Kumar Das is a convict in a murder case who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a local sessions court in 1987. The verdict was confirmed by the Patna High Court, the petition said.

As per the petition, the witness Das is known as Ashwini Kumar Singh too. The accused prayed for legal action against the witness who was moving free.

Former Science and Technology Minister, Mr. Prasad was shot dead in Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) of Patna in 1998. The CBI had produced Ashwini Kumar Das as its 25th witness in the case. The cross Examination of the witness is on by the defence.

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