SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 10: BJP MLA from Balia, UP Pappu Singh alias Ravi Shankar Singh, the grandson of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, today appeared in Dhanbad court and pleaded that he is innocent and has been trapped in the 26-year-old murder case of a coal trader.
Notably, coal trader Sanjay Singh was gunned down on May 26, 1996, on Luby Circular Road near the official residence of the Dhanbad Superintendent of Police (SP) while going in a car in the morning.
On the statement of Krishna Singh, FIR was lodged against Pappu Singh and Suresh Singh, the then treasurer of the Congress district committee. However, the CID investigation gave them a clean chit and made Ramadhir Singh and others accused.
However, police made Suresh Singh and Pappu Singh accused in the case. Suresh was later also gunned down in 2012. The court on January 23, 2019, framed a charge sheet against Pappu Singh in the coal trader Sunjay Singh’s murder case and was directed for trial.
Moreover, three witnesses Krishna Singh, Pushpa Singh (wife of Sanjay Singh) and police officer Ashok Singh (IO of the case) got their statements recorded in court. Krishna Singh and Pushpa Singh said Pappu Singh had no involvement in the murder but IO Ashok Singh gave a statement against him (Pappu Singh).
Senior advocate Jaya Kumar, who appeared for Pappu Singh today, said that the court of District and Session judge Akhilesh Kumar had on November 7 directed his client to appear on November 10. He appeared today and pleaded that he is innocent and has been trapped in the murder case.
The court after hearing Pappu Singh ordered a trial of the case.
