Janakpurdham, April 6

Dhanusha police today charged suspended lawmaker and former state minister Sanjay Sah with masterminding the murder of media entrepreneur Arun Singhaniya. Sah has also been accused of masterminding the bomb blasts at Ramananda Chowk in Janakpur.

Organising a press meet in District Police Office, Dhanusha, today, police alleged that former state minister and suspended lawmaker had masterminded the killing of Singhaniya. The police have arrested four persons -- Chandra Deep Yadav, Yogendra Sahani, Om Prakash Yadav and Mukesh Chaudhary -- for their involvement in the murder. However, Ram Bindo Yadav, Manak Lama, Pawan Lama and Dipendra Kusiyat, who are also suspected to be involved in the murder, are at large.

Superintendent of Police Ramdutta Joshi said the preliminary investigation showed that Ram Binod Yadav, Sadbhawana Party’s then Dhanusha vice-chairman, had managed the finances, while Chandra Deep had arranged the shooters.

A dispute had broken out between Sanjay Sah and Singhaniya after Janakpur Today ran a story on burglary at the house of Jivnath Chaudhary.

Police alleged that Sah paid goons to vandalise the office of Janakpur Today, as a report in the paper linked him to the burglary. “Sah had invited Ram Binod and Chandra Deep at his house and asked them to arrange shooters to kill Singhaniya,” alleged police. “Sah agreed to provide Rs 1 million to the shooters,” claimed SP Joshi said.

SP Joshi said that Chandra Deep had sealed a deal to murder Singhaniya at Rs 0.5 million through Sahani. Sahani hired Pawan, Manak, and Dipendra for the same. Following the arrest of Ram Binod, Sah’s involvement in Singhaniya’s murder came to light.

According to police investigation, Chandra Deep, Sahani, Pawan Lama, Manak and Dipendra Kusiyat were staying in Room No 103 of Rama Hotel when Sah and Ram Binod handed Rs 30,000 and a small bag to Chandra Deep at the hotel. Police claimed that the bag contained a pistol and bullets. Manak Lama opened fire at Arun Singhaniya on the evening of March 1, 2010, while he was playing Holi. Lama then fled to the counter of Sarus Bus operated by Sanjay Sah. Following the shootout, Sah and Ram Binod requested Tarai Janatantrik Party Madhes’s Chairman Mukesh Chaudhary to own up the responsibility.

The next morning, a government vehicle with national flag dropped four persons at Kisannagar in Dhanushadham. They were handed Rs 0.5 million in cash. After Lama kept asking for more money, Chandra Deep sent Lama to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, suspended lawmaker Sah’s wife claimed that her husband was innocent. Issuing a press statement from her residence, Rangiladevi accused the administration of making her husband a scapegoat. “My husband has been unnecessarily dragged into the incident,” alleged Rangiladevi.