Life-imprisonment for RJD MP Shahabuddin

Siwan, May 08: A Special Court today sentenced controversial RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin to life imprisonment on charge of kidnapping CPI(ML) leader Chotelal Gupta.

Md Shahabuddin was accused of kidnapping the CPI(ML)leader from Andardhala railway crossing under Hussainganj police station of Siwan district in February, 1999.

The Special Court here found the MP guilty in the case.

Special Judge Jnaneswar Srivastava reserved the pronouncement of the quantum of punishment after Md Sahabuddin was found guilty of kidnapping on May five, which was spelt out today.

Pronouncing the judgement after the court proceeding, which continued for nearly 40 minutes, the Judge awarded rigorous life term to the MP. The Judge also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on Md Shahabuddin, and said in case the convict failed to deposit the fine, the length of punishment would be extended by one year.

The controversial RJD MP was brought earlier today to the special court from Siwan Jail, amid tight security arrangements, where the quantum of punishment was pronounced.

Defence counsel Abhay Kumar Rajan on behalf of Md Shahabuddin requested the court on Saturday through a petition to pronounce minimum required punishment on the plea that the killing of abducted person had not been established.

Meanwhile Anita Devi, wife of the CPI(ML) leader, who was accompanied by her daughter and father-in-law Dinannath Sah to the court, while expressing pleasure over the judgement further requested the court to award death sentence to Md Shahabuddin.

UNI