BJP MLA murder case: Charges framed against accused

Ghazipur, Jan 22 (UNI) A Fast Track Court (FTC) here today framed charges against the accused in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA murder case here.

The charges were framed in the court of FTC judge (I) Shailendra Nath Singh, who posted the case for the next hearing on January 29.

Prime accused Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Afzal Ansari was also present, when the charges were being framed against him and three other accused -- Afzal's younger brother and independent MLA from Mau Mukhtar Ansari and their brother-in-law Ezaz-ul-haq Ansari.

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

Charges against them were framed under sections 147/148/149/120b/302/307 of IPC.

However, charges against Mansoor Ansari -- who was made accused during CBI investigation -- were framed under section 302/307/120b of IPC.

Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad assembly 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 armed assailants.

Later, an FIR was lodged against 10 people including Mukhtar, Afzal and notorious east UP gangster Munna Bajrangi in connection with the killing. Afzal surrendered in the court on December 8, 2005.

Another sharp-shooter Sanjeev Maheshwari, alias Jeeva, has also been arrested.

UNI XC/ATI VS SY KP2138