1995 Double Murder: SC Awards Life Imprisonment to Ex-RJD MP Prabhunath Singh

The Supreme Court on Friday sentenced former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former member of Parliament (MP) Prabhunath Singh to life imprisonment in a 1995 double murder case.

The court has also ordered Singh and the Bihar government to provide ₹10 lakh each to the families of the two deceased victims.

On August 18, a bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Justice AS Oka, and Justice Vikram Nath convicted Singh, overturning the decisions of the trial court and the Patna High Court that had acquitted him in the case. The court emphasized that there was substantial evidence demonstrating his involvement in the case.

The top court stated, “Accused-respondent no.2 (Prabhunath Singh) is thus convicted under Sections 302 and 307 IPC for the murders of Daroga Rai and Rajendra Rai and also for the attempt to murder injured Smt. Devi.” Additionally, the court directed the Secretary of the Department of Home, State of Bihar, and the Director General of Police, Bihar, to ensure the immediate arrest of Prabhunath Singh (Respondent No. 2).”

The incident in question occurred in March 1995 near a polling booth in Chhapra. The two men, Daroga Rai and Rajendra Rai were allegedly shot dead for not voting in accordance with Singh’s instructions. An FIR was registered on March 25, 1995, at the Police Station Masrakh (Panapur) in District Saran, Chapra, Bihar, under Sections 147, 148, 149/307 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and Section 27 of the Arms Act. Subsequently, Section 302 IPC was added after two of the three injured individuals succumbed to their injuries. The initial FIR was filed based on the statement of one of the injured individuals, Rajendra Rai, who later passed away due to his injuries.