Ex-MP acquitted in a case of attack on cops

SASARAM: Rohtas police will appeal against the acquittal of alleged Maoist and former MP Kameshwar Baitha in the case of murderous attack on police personnel in 2001. A special court at Sasaram on Friday acquitted Baitha as neither the witnesses nor the informant (police personnel) appeared in the court despite summons and warrants issued against them many times in the last five years.
Rohtas SP Ashish Bharti told this newspaper on Saturday that after examining the merit of the case, an appeal would be filed against the acquittal of Baitha, who once carried a reward of Rs1 lakh on his head. Bharti said action would also be taken against the erring police personnel for not appearing before the court.
Additional public prosecutor Anil Yadav said the court, after exhausting all procedure for appearance of the witnesses, investigating officers and informant, acquitted the former MP for lack of evidence on Friday. Yadav said in another case related to police attack, Baitha had to be acquitted by the court recently, as in that case, too, no witness or police personnel appeared before the court. “As there were sufficient evidence against the accused in both the cases, a report will be submitted to Rohtas DM for filing an appeal against Baitha’s acquittal,” Yadav said.
A named FIR was lodged against Baitha and his accomplices on the complaint of then sub-inspector at Nauhatta police station, V Singh, related to a conspiracy to blow up a police patrol vehicle and later firing on the police personnel at Dabua Mod village on August 1, 2001. The police had also recovered explosive, arms and ammunition from the spot.
The police filed chargesheet in 2009 against all the named accused, including Baitha, who contested the 2009 election as an independent candidate from Palamu parliamentary constituency and won. Baitha won the election from Sasaram district jail.
Later, charges were framed against the accused. Witnesses and informants, including the investigating officer, were summoned by the court. When they remained absent during subsequent hearings, the court issued non-bailable warrants through Rohtas SP and DIG Shahabad against them, but no one appeared. Finally, the presiding officer of the special court, Bharat Bhushan Bhasin, on Friday acquitted Baitha for lack of evidence.