Eight jailed for murdering minister

Eight people including a state politician have been given life sentences for the murder of a former minister in India following a decade-long trial.

Brij Bihari Prasad, a Bihar state cabinet minister, was shot dead along with his security guard in June 1998 at a hospital in the capital Patna.

Among those sentenced today were Vijay Kumar Shukla, a member of the state assembly (MLA) for the ruling Janata Dal United party (JD-U), former Lok Janshakti Party MP Surajbhan Singh and former independent legislator Rajen Tiwari.

Another JD-U member of state assembly, Sashi Kumar Rai, was sentenced to two years in jail for his involvement in the murders.

Two others accused in the case died during the long trial. Another committed suicide, while one more is still on the run.

Mr Prasad was in judicial custody in connection with a multi-million rupee fake degree scam when he was gunned down. He was being treated for chest pain in the hospital.

A total of 72 witnesses were examined during the trial.

Mr Prasad’s wife, Rama Devi, who is a Bharatiya Janata Party MP, told Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times that she was not satisfied with the sentence.

“The accused should have been sentenced to death,” she said.