MLAs accused of murder figure in 'Team Nitish'

Close on the heels of Araria Chief Judicial Magistrate issuing a non-bailable warrant of arrest against the ruling Janata Dal (United) MLA Sarfaraz Alam in a loot and assault case, yet another murder case has been lodged against a JD (U) legislator Amrandra Kumar Pandey at Hathuha police station in the Gopalganj district.

Pandey is MLA from the Kuchaikote Assembly constituency and has been charged with plotting murder of a liquor trader Anil Sah, who was shot dead by three armed motorcycle-borne criminals on Saturday night. Initially, no FIR was lodged against the ruling party leader, but after huge public uproar and road blockade, the SP of Gopalganj Natasha Gudia instructed the station house officer (SHO) of the Hatuha police station to institute a case against Pandey and three other members of his family.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Nitish’s MLAs are making news for the wrong reasons. While JD (U) legislators Sunil Pandey and Pradip Kumar have been charged with murder, loot and extortion, the BJP MLAs are not far behind. While Satish Chandra Dubey (BJP) has not only been charged with murder, loot and kidnap, he is also an accused in a bank dacoity case. Another legislator from the saffron camp Chitranjan Sharma has been charged with murder and possession of illegal arms. Other three MLAs from JD(U) – Anant Singh, Manoranjan Singh and Sarfaraz Alam are facing the charges of murder, kidnapping and extortion.

Meanwhile, Pandey denied his role in the murder of liquor trader and said the FIR was a part of a larger conspiracy to defame him.