Conviction rate highest in Bihar

Patna Oct 14 (UNI) With over 20,000 convictions in two and a half years in Bihar, said to be the highest in the country, the promises of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar about improving law and order and providing ''sushashan'' are gradually showing results.

Sources at the state headquarters claimed here today that the conviction rate was highest in Bihar as compared to other states and it was possible with the speedy trials being conducted in almost all pending criminal cases by different courts, including fast track courts, special courts and other courts.

Besides general criminals, high profile politicians were caught in the net of the speedy trials and convicted.

Those top brass politicians convicted recently include RJD MP Md Shahabuddin, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav (currently lodged in Tihar jail) in Ajit Sarkar murder case, LJP MP Surajbhan in double murder case, JD(U) MLA Munna Shukla in former District Magistrate G.

Krishnaiya murder case and JD(U) suspended MLA Sunil Pandey in connection with the abduction of a renowned neurosurgeon Ramesh Chandra.

In the high profile DM murder case, former MP Anand Mohan and two others were convicted and awarded death penality. Anand's wife Lovli Anand, former MP, was also convicted in the same murder case and awarded life term. Altogether seven politicians were convicted in the DM murder case.

Besides sitting MPs and MLAs, several former MPs and MLAs, including former MLA Rajan Tiwari, were also in the list of convicted politicians.

The sources further said 6,839 criminals and anti-socials were held quilty for different crimes in 2006, the number rose to 9,853 (almost 50 per cent) in 2007 and to 9,063 upto September 2008.

In September this year, 1,511 criminals were held quilty of which three were awarded capital punishment, 278 life imprisonment and 65 were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The remaining 1,165 were awarded less than 10 years imprisonment.

Of the districts, the Chief Minister's home district Nalanda topped the list of convictions followed by Patna. In the state capital, police officials nabbed some high profile accused including kthe one in the Papiya Ghosh murder case in which the accused was convicted through a fast track courts.

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