BJP MLA murder accused surrenders before CBI court

Lucknow, Dec 23 (UNI) An accused in the high-profile Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case, Mansoor Ahmed, surrendered before the special CBI court here today.

The accused was taken under judicial custody and sent to jail till January 4.

Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad constituency in Ghazipur district, and his seven supporters were shot dead in broad daylight in Ghazipur on November 29, 2005.

They were ambushed near the Ballia-Ghazipur border by several motorcycle-borne miscreants armed with sophisticated weapons.

Later, an FIR was lodged against 10 people including controversial Independent UP MLA Mukhtar Ansari, his elder brother and ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari and gangster Munna Bajrangi in connection with the killing. Afzal had surrendered in the court on December 8, 2005.

On the petition of Rai's wife Alka, the Allahabad High Court had ordered CBI to investigate into the case.

Firstly, the accused Sanjeev Maheshvari alias Jeeva had appeared before the special CBI court. On December 14 last, Rakesh Pandey and Ramu Mallah appeared before the court. All of them are in jail.

The main accused, Afzal had appeared before special judge (SC/ST Act) Amarnath Upadhyay for the hearing yesterday in Ghazipur. The Court had fixed January 3 for next hearing.

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