BJP MLA murder case: Police head-constable records testimony

Ghazipur, Feb 23 (UNI) A police head-constable recorded his testimony in the high-profile Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case in a local court here today.

Bhanwarkol police station head-constable Om Prakash recorded his statement in the court of Fast Track Court (I) Judge Shailendra Singh. His testimony would continue on the next date of hearing on February 26.

Ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Afzal Ansari appeared before the court under tight security.

However, his brother and controversial Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari and their brother-in-law Ejaj-ul-Haq could not come for the hearing as they were indisposed in the district jail.

The trio are prime accused in the case.

Earlier in the day, the accused submitted an application alleging the FIR in the case was lodged even before Rai's murder.

They petitioned the court to summon the general diary of Bhanwarkol police station from November 8 to December 5, 2005 and dispatch register from November 28 to December 7, 2005, so that the head-constable could be cross-examined in this regard.

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 persons, including Mukhtar Ansari, Afzal Ansari and eastern UP gangster Munna Bajrangi. Afzal surrendered in the court on December 8, 2005.

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

There are about 70 witnesses in the case, including slain BJP leader's sibling Raman Rai. Several of the key witnesses have died under mysterious circumstances.

UNI