SP MP produced in court in MLA murder case

Ghazipur, Oct 10 (UNI) Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Afzal Ansari today appeared before a Fast Track Court (FTC) here in connection with the Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case.

Other prime accused, Afzal's 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.

The FTC (I) judge S N Singh posted the next hearing to October 17.

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 Mukhtar, Afzal and eastern UP gangster Munna Bajrangi in connection with the killing.

Both the Ansari brothers are in jail at present.

Afzal had surrendered in the court on December 8, 2005.

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

UNI