Supreme Court Convicts Politicians in High-Profile Murder Case

The Supreme Court has convicted Vijay Kumar Shukla and Mantu Tiwari in the 1998 murder case of former Bihar minister Brij Bihari Prasad. A bench partially overturned the Patna High Court's acquittal of all accused, proving charges against them beyond doubt while upholding the acquittal of five others.

The Supreme Court has handed down a pivotal verdict in the case of the 1998 murder of former Bihar minister Brij Bihari Prasad. Criminal-turned-politician Vijay Kumar Shukla, also known as Munna Shukla, alongside Mantu Tiwari, were convicted while five others were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

The bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Sanjay Kumar, and R Mahadevan emphasized that charges against Shukla and Tiwari were substantiated beyond reasonable doubt, leading to life imprisonment and fine. Contrarily, former MP Surajbhan Singh was acquitted due to insufficient evidence provided by the prosecution.

The ruling also sheds light on the violent past involving gangsters from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and implies heavier responsibilities on authorities to bring justice to long-standing unresolved cases of political violence.

(With inputs from agencies.)