Witnesses record testimony in BJP MLA murder case

Ghazipur, UP, Jan 31 (UNI) The proceeding to record testimony of witnesses in the BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case started here today.

Testimonies of two witnesses Kamla Singh and Vinod Singh was recorded before the fast track court (I) judge Shailendra Nath Singh.

Later, the court fixed February 5, 2007 for next hearing.

Three prime accused in the case, don-turned-Independent MLA from Mau Mukhtar Ansari, his elder brother and ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari and their brother-in-law Ejaz failed to appear for the hearing.

Presently, the trio are lodged in the Ghazipur district jail.

Meanwhile, petitioner Ram Narain Rai submitted an application in the court praying that the government counsel (criminal) Rajendra Sharma be replaced.

The petitioner claimed that Sharma was unduly favouring the accused and he could not be expected to discharge his duties honestly.

Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad assembly constituency in Ghazipur district, and his seven supporters were shot dead in broad daylight here 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 ten people including Mukhtar, Afzal and notorious east UP gangster Munna Bajrangi in connection with the killing. Afzal surrendered in the court on December 8.

UNI