JANAKPURDHAM: Police on Wednesday said their investigations concluded that suspended lawmaker Sanjay Sah, who was the State Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport then, was the mastermind behind the murder of local media entrepreneur Arun Singhaniya six years ago.

Organising a press meet in Janakpur today, the Dhanusha District Police Office made its preliminary investigation report public which found out that the Sadbhawana Party leader Sah had masterminded the murder.

Singhaniya, who was the chairman of Janakpur Today Communications Group, was shot dead at Shiva Chowk in Janakpur on March 1, 2010.

Sah on Tuesday was brought to Janakpur from the Capital after Chandra Deep Yadav, who was earlier claimed to be mastermind behind the murder, spoke of his role, police said.

Yadav among others was arrested last week.

SP Ram Datta Joshi informed at a press conference that the then Sadbhawana Party district vice-chairman Ram Binod Yadav managed funds while Chandra Deep Yadav shot at the victim.

"The three had an agreement that Sanjay Sah would provide Rs 1 million to the shooter after executing the plan," he added.

Chandra Deep Yadav had recruited three accomplices – Pawan Lama, Manak Lama and Dipendra Kusiyat - further, according to police investigation.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Investigative Journalism, Nepal reported that the four shooters had travelled to Kathmandu on the government vehicle Sah was using then.

He, however, returned to Janakpur the next day to take part in the final tribute, according to the CIJ report written by Navin Jha.

He was associated with the Bijay Kumar Gachhadar-led Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic then.

Sah and Singhaniya had some dispute over a news report in connection to Sah's criminal activities published on the latter's newspaper, according to police.

Meanwhile, wife of the suspended lawmaker Rangila Devi said Sah was innocent.

She organised a press meeting at her residence today and said he was framed.

The suspended lawmaker,  who had been kept in the judicial custody in Kathmandu to probe into his involvement in a fatal bomb explosion in Janakpur in 2012, was brought to Kathmandu after Chandra Deep spoke of his role in the Singhaniya murder.

Sah is also a convict of two criminal cases — arms and ammunition case and public offence case.

Sah had won the second Constituent Assembly election from Dhanusha-4 representing the Sadbhawana Party. His membership in the Parliament, however, was suspended after police accused him of the explosion and the Court subsequently sent him to the judicial custody, in May 2014.