Ranchi: The National Investigation Agency on Monday arrested former Jharkhand minister Gopal Krishna Patar in connection with the murder of rival MLA Ramesh Munda nine years ago.
Patar, more popularly known as Raja Peter, was detained on Sunday after it emerged that he had “paid Rs 4 crore to Naxalites to eliminate the JD(U) MLA,” officials said. The Maoists were also upset with Munda because of his frequent outbursts against them.
According to NIA sources, surrendered Naxalite Kundan Pagan had led the agency to Peter. Pahan was the main suspect after Munda was shot dead in July 2008 in Bundu, Tamar.
Pahan, during interrogation, had reportedly confessed to the murder and said Peter had paid him the Rs 4 crore to murder Munda and clear the political landscape for him.
Peter had lost to Munda in the 2000 and 2005 assembly elections. But in the by-election called after Munda’s murder, Peter scored a stunning victory in Tamar defeating chief minister Shibu Soren, forcing him to resign.
NIA has sought Peter's custody from a special Ranchi court to question him further in connection with this alleged conspiracy.
The NIA on Sunday had also arrested a Jharkhand Police assistant sub-inspector, who was part of the MLA’s security detail, for his involvement in the case.
Investigations have revealed that ASI Sheshnath Singh provided prior information about the movement of Munda to Naxals, who then attacked and killed him, an NIA spokesperson said.
Singh has been sent to policy custody till October 15, he said. The NIA teams are also conducted searches at four locations in Ranchi in connection with the case, the spokesperson said.
Munda, who was a Janata Dal (U) MLA, was killed allegedly by Naxalites when he was delivering a speech at a function in his assembly constituency. His two bodyguards were also killed in the attack.
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