BJP MLA murder case: testimonies of 3 witnesses recorded

Ghazipur, Feb 5 (UNI) The statements of the three witnesses in the BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case were recorded here today.

Testimonies of three witneses Sudarshan, Ram Singh and Jai Ram were recorded before the Fast Track Court Judge (I) Shailendra Singh.

The statements of two witnesses Kamla Singh and Vinod Singh had already been recorded on January 31.

Prime accused in the case, ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Afzal Ansari appeared before the court under tight security.

However, don-turned-Independent MLA from Mau and Afzal's brother Mukhtar Ansari and their brother-in-law Ejaz failed to appear for the hearing.

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

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 10 persons including Mukhtar, Afzal and notorious east UP gangster Munna Bajrangi in connection with the killing. Afzal surrendered in the court on December 8.

UNI